Four's A Crowd
by Spydertiger
Summary: Sequel to Double Acts.  Jasdevi last saw Liz and Patty two and a half months ago, but for the Thompson sisters it's been nearly a year. Will the arrival of Jasdevi spell disaster for Shibusen?
1. Prologue

**[Thank you to everyone for putting up with me. You're all lovely people. And I'm pretty sure this is still going to be terrible.]  
><strong>

**Jasdero**

Recently, I've been trying to teach David how to wake up earlier.

It's strange, because I wake up at what Tyki calls 'too-goddamn-early', but David – well – _David_ usually wakes up _so_ late that the rest of us have already eaten breakfast and brushed our teeth and sometimes had lunch by the time he's out of bed. I don't really understand it. We're the same, but there's just this one little thing that _isn't_ the same and it's bugging me so I am trying to fix it.

There is one _tiny _little problem. It's very, very difficult to get David out of bed when he doesn't want to. I've tried. Tyki's tried, and Road, and Lulu, and even Skin's tried, and the Earl once or twice but so far nothing's worked, he just lies there or else he gets really mad like the one time when he threw a lamp at Tyki and Tyki went around with a big bruise on one eye for days afterwards which made me laugh every time I saw him.

And now it's my turn again. That's why I'm standing here and – I check the clock – the big hand is on the nine and the small hand is stuck between the three and the four but the clock's been like that for so long that I'm starting to think it might be lying to me. Nothing we own lasts very long.

I stare at the tangled mess of sheets and duvet and pillow, and I think, somewhere in all that is my brother and _how_ am I going to get him up?

Our room isn't the same any more, not since the Earl moved house and took us all with him. Two months ago, when the old one broke. Our room is bigger, and there's more space for stuff and us and we've done our best to make a lot of mess and I think so far we've done a good job, but no one's thought to thank us yet.

I miss our old beds. They were softer, and comfier, and had black sheets and there were what the Boss calls 'fourposter' and I all know is that means they have their own roofs with big curtains that we used to draw around them to play forts. We can't do that no more, not since our new beds aren't 'fourposter', they're just normal with metal curly frames that Road calls 'decorative' and Tyki calls 'gothic' and the Earl calls 'ex-skweez-eet' and David calls 'goawayandleavemealoneimtired'. I stopped asking him questions in the middle of the night after that.

Maybe it's _my_ fault that I'm tired. I mean, that _he's_ tired. David.

"Sorry, Debi," I say out loud. Nothing moves. So I pull at the end of his duvet. "Debi."

There's no reply, but that could mean two things, it could mean he's still asleep and didn't hear me or it could mean that he is awake but he's still cross and doesn't want to answer because then he'll have to get up.

Silly David, I _know_ it's the second one. He can't hide from me. "I know you're awake, David."

Silence.

"Boss is making pancakes, hee!"

Silence.

"Don'tcha want none?"

I stand there in the silence, with the clock that lies to me staring back from the table, and I suddenly remember this one morning, that really strange morning, back in our old house, and I remember the only person I've ever met who's managed to wake David up he doesn't want to be woken up.

I don't even realise I've sat down but I suddenly realise I'm on the floor.

David is staring at me from over the bed.

"What did you say?"

I look up at him. What _did_ I say?

"Floor…clock…er…pancakes. Pancakes, Debi."

He screws his eyes up and puts a hand to his forehead. "Uurgh…not that…Something else." His hair is sticking up funny. "What did you say, Jasdero?"

He looks at me, and I can see him struggling to remember. "There was – you…blonde hair," he mumbles vaguely. "Something about blonde hair."

"I don't remember, Debitto."

"No…no, you wouldn't…" He disappears again, burying his face in the pillow.

* * *

><p><strong>David<strong>

When I next lift my head, Jasdero's gone.

I flop back onto the pillow, and roll onto my back to stare at the ceiling. I do this a lot. It's kind of interesting, finding patterns in the swirls, and there's one just above my bed to the left that looks like a dragon eating its own tail, if you squint.

I stare at the dragon and wait for my brain to catch up with me

God, I really don't do mornings.

_David! Road's trying to take your breakfast!_

_Coming, Jas._

I can smell pancakes through the floor. It smells good.

Gnngh. Fucking mornings. This is always the worst part, the bit when you have to swing your legs out of bed and put your feet on the floor and it's _always _cold, no matter how warm you make it in the room, it's _always_ colder outside the duvet and that's why I always start the day with a sort of race to get dressed.

This time I'm halfway down the hall before I realise my shirt's on backwards. Which is better than yesterday, I suppose.

I stop on the stairs. There it is again. Blonde hair. I close my eyes, thinking to shut it out, but stupid _stupid_ of course that's not going to work, it only _makes it worse_. I see it like a picture, like a photograph only I've never seen a colour photograph like this before. Never seen a photograph of yellow on red.

I miss the last step and practically _fall_ through the breakfast door.

"Shut up. It's how I open doors now."

"How avant-garde."

"Shut _up_, Tyki."

He doesn't even look up from his newspaper, just takes a sip of his tea. I'd kill him right here and now (I _would_, I really would) but the Earl is smiling at me from the head of the table.

"Good morning, Debitto."

I clench my fists at my side – ignore Tyki, _ignore him_ – and sit down. "Good morning, Earl."

Jasdero beams at me through a mask of syrupy lemon and butter. "Pancakes, Debi!"

Opposite him, Road has three pancakes and is covering them with sugar and lemon too and strawberry jam and then she takes three sugar cubes and puts them one on top of the other right in the middle of the pancake.

Tyki glares at her. "Do you want your teeth to fall out?"

"Yes," she says, and stuffs them in all at once.

"You little _bitch_, you better not have touched any of my pancakes," I snarl, I am _fucking hungry_, and she _always_ eats everything even thought she's tiny, it's not _fair._

"No need for that," tuts the Earl. I'd almost forgotten he was there. He can do that, and it always scares me when I remember at the last minute he's not gone after all. "Here, David."

Thank _god_. I take my plate. Jasdero starts counting strawberries next to me, and grins.

"I'll have what you don't want," says Road, already watching me like a goddamn hawk.

"Fuck you!"

"David, we've talked about this language problem," sighs the Earl. He gets to his feet.

Instantly I stop eating, and I feel a sort of sick feeling in my stomach, right where hunger was just a second ago. Is he angry? Did I go too far?

Jasdero whines, and climbs under the table. _Real mature, Jas._

I think everyone watches the Earl, as he pushes his chair back, scoops up his plates, and slowly, almost like he's enjoying this, walks around the table towards me.

I flinch as he pauses behind me, and then he puts a hand on my head. "I'm going out now. Be good."

My heart carries on thumping after the door closes behind him. Even Tyki takes a while to relax again.

"I thought you were gonna get it, Debi!" says Jasdero as he scrambles back into his chair. "Really really!"

"Don't – don't be stupid, Jas." I take a deep breath, and feel my appetite return. Road is watching me as I eat. "And you, quit it, bitch."

"David…" says Tyki sternly.

I put my arm around my plate, just in case, 'cuz I know what Road is like. "Quit it! This is _my_ breakfast."

"You looked like you lost your appetite, that's all," she says, looking away. "He wasn't really going to hurt you, you know."

"I know that!"

"But he could!"

"Shut up, Jasdero."

"But he – "

"Jasdero!"

He presses his lips together so hard they tremble. "But he _could_…" he whispers to himself, and then rests his chin on the table.

He could.

I pick at my pancake. Next to me, Jasdero's finished his, and he's trying to make a little tower of sugar cubes only it's not working out so good and it keeps falling over in his hands.

He gives up, and presses a cheek on the table, looking weirdly…well, _thoughtful,_ for Jasdero.

_Blonde hair._

_Who?_

I look sharply at him. "Stop it, Jas."

"Who?" he presses. I hit him with my fork. "I said, _stop it!_" It's _hard,_ trying to forget something when the other half of you is trying almost as hard to remember it. Believe me.

He clutches his head, but he doesn't cry like I expected him to. He just stares at me. "Who?" he asks again.

I don't know what he means, so I just shrug and say, "yeah Jas, you're right. You _do _have blonde hair."

To my surprise, he nods. Like he's satisfied with that. So I relax too, because I realise I'm being stupid, of _course_ he has blonde hair, I need to stop this, stop pretending I can remember stuff that doesn't even exist (at least, not any more, not for us), stop remembering blonde hair and long hair and short hair and that _exact_ shade of red and –

_Jasdero!_ Stop_ it!_

I shake my head, and push another pancake in. It tastes _good_. The coffee smells good too. I don't drink coffee (I'm not allowed) but I like the smell, it smells of morning and fresh and daytime.

Jasdero ruins my morning for me with his next words. "But…Debi. I don't _have_ blue eyes."

Even Tyki's interested now. "What are you talking about, Jasdero?"

My brother stares at me, hard, so I have to close my eyes. Yes, yes he's right. Jasdero doesn't have blue eyes, of _course_ he doesn't, and I don't know why I even thought that, and besides where did blue eyes come from anyway? They're not important, it's not important, and _she_ certainly isn't –

"Roaaad…."

I open my eyes again. I _know_ what's coming next, I know _exactly_, and I'd still know even I couldn't see the words mapped out in my brother's brain, I know what's going to happen word-for-word cuz he's been thinking 'bout it nearly every day.

Road sighs. "What, Jasdero?"

"Your Dreams."

"Yes, Jasdero."

"Can they travel?"

"What?"

"Like the Ark," says Jasdero, picking at the bandages on his left hand in a fidgety kind of way. "You can travel, right. Like, between space. And…and places."

Tyki raises an eyebrow. "That is generally how travel works, Jasdero."

"Shut up, Tyki," I spit at him. Asshole.

Road is watching Jasdero with a funny look in her eyes, and I don't like, I wish she'd just talk to him straight for once and get it over with. Jasdero's been in a weird mood for a while now and for some reason he's got it into his head that Road - _Road _ – can help him.

And I thought there was something wrong with him, I got scared, so scared, a few times, I couldn't work out what he was thinking because it was so muddled and he was so – so _sad_ sometimes, but now – now… I think I only couldn't see it properly because I've been so angry and miserable too.

It's a weird sensation, thinking about my feelings, and I don't think I like it. It's sort of uncomfortable.

Road is still looking at Jasdero. "You know, Jasdero, you've been talking like this for weeks, but I still don't get it. What do you _want_?"

He blinks very fast, which is unusual for Jasdero. His mind is a blur. "I – I want – I want…" He's getting upset.

"Blonde hair," I say out loud, cuz it's the first thing that I think of, and I immediately regret it, now everyone's staring at me (I _hate_ that!) and it was such a stupid thing to say that I flush. "And blue eyes," I add, because they go together, hand in hand. "Blonde hair and blue eyes."

"What _are _you talking about?"

"Elizabeth."

And we all stare at Tyki.

He shrugs. "That was her name, wasn't it?" And he sips his tea, like what he said meant nothing at all.

"Are you talking about those sisters?" ask Road curiously. I don't even realise how hard I'm squeezing the fork until I look down at my hand and see a red mark across my palm. I drop it quickly.

"That's right, that's right, Lizabeth." Jasdero nods real hard. "That's it." We see her in our mind's eye, tall and blonde and she turns around and her eyes flash and she starts shouting at me. Again. I cover my ears, and she goes away.

"We want to go to Elizabeth."

"No we don't."

"We do!"

"_You_ do!"

And then a really weird thing happens. Jasdero turns to me, folds his arms and says, "then I'll go by myself."

I snort, cuz he's obviously got no idea what he's saying. Crazy Jas. "Huh. You're not."

"Am so."

"Yeah, right."

"I'll get Road to help me and I'll go away without you."

"That's funny, Jas. Are you done now? Let's go to the garden."

And he doesn't move.

I stare back at him. No. No, no no no no no no _no_ – don't be _stupid_, Jasdero. We're us, you can't go anywhere without me and you can't _do_ anything without me, so stop talking like this. _I _don't want to have anything to do with this.

"Well _I_ do."

"But – "

"Debi!"

I stare helplessly across the table at Road. She grins wickedly back. I should have known she'd be on his side.

"I'll see what I can do."

I glare at Jasdero.

What_ have you gotten us into now?_


	2. Bad Weather and Bad Dreams

**Liz**

Rain's always been something I can kind of do without. The way I see it, it's _acceptable_ so long as it waits until you're home and dry, tucked up in bed where you can hear it and it sounds nice and comfortable on the windowpane.

It is _not_ acceptable for it to decide to make an appearance when I'm twenty minutes from home and carrying two bags of shopping.

I'm having to hold the umbrella in one hand and the two bags in the crook of my other elbow as I attempt to make a phone call, my thumb slipping over the wet phone buttons.

Fuck this. I shove it back into my pocket – with difficulty – and decide to just muscle it home. Patty and Kidd will wait for me.

In spite of the rain, the streets of Shibusen are very quiet. No one seems very keen on hanging around outside, and my only company is a soggy plastic bag flapping miserably off a telephone wire. I grit my teeth. Normally Kidd and Patty would be here to help, but _oh_ no, they just had to go and land themselves in detention, didn't they? Still. I can't help but smile to myself as I remember that smug moment when I could turn to Kidd and say, "well, _some _of us _did_ do our homework on time."

I suppose it wasn't his fault. Math has never been his strong point; it must be hard when you're trying to make every single problem equal eight.

I sigh, and adjust one bag slightly. I though that maybe if I started putting more effort in at school, Patty would too. I mean, I can understand her frustration, neither of us are any good at any of the work, and we've never quite gotten use to sitting in a classroom for a whole day, but I just want the best for her, I really do. And if that means I have to muscle down once a week and get my homework done, so be it.

But _she_ could at least do her bit.

The rain's coming down heavier. I'm shivering – I can feel a cold finger of water running down my back - and I'm pretty sure I've caught a cold now. That'll teach them, they'll be sorry.

I can see the lights of Death Mansion at the end of the street – it's pretty hard to miss, to be honest, the place is _huge_ – and sigh with relief. Already I can picture being home, dry, warm, preferably sinking into a warm bubble bath…Kidd can cook tonight…

I glance to my left.

And pause.

Is that…_pink_?

I have to stop and check that I haven't somehow gotten lost. A lot of people ignore it, but Death City does have a red-light district, such as it is. I know for a fact that Maka's father is a regular visitor. And for a moment, that's what I think I'm staring at. Where else would you find a neon pink sign, anyway?

If that _is_ what I'm looking at. I squint at the nearest street sign through the driving rain – yep, Nightmare Avenue. I _am_ on track. But – I've walked this route hundreds of times, and I'm certain I've never seen that weird reddish light before. Maybe it's just because I usually don't walk this way in the dark?

I frown. But come to think of it, I don't ever remember seeing a light of any sort down there, even in daytime….in fact, I'm pretty sure Nightmare Avenue is nothing but old houses.

Cautiously, I take a step forward. I'm all too aware of the dangers of walking down dark streets alone, but for some reason I just _have_ to check this out. One lone streetlamp flickers at the corner, making worrying buzzing sounds as the rain continues to tip down. I feel like I'm in a horror movie – and then immediately suppress that thought. Come on, Liz. Stop scaring yourself.

The street is long, narrow and dark. Once I move past the pool of light cast by the streetlamp, the only light to see by is the weird dark pinkish-red glow. It's quite far down, and I don't think I'm going to be heading that far, only close enough to see if I can make out what it is.

Gradually the reddish smear solidifies into a – is – is that a _heart_ shape?

I stop walking, and glance behind me.

I feel a shiver of doubt. Did I read the sign wrong? Is this _not_ Nightmare Avenue?

Only I'm pretty sure Nightmare Avenue never had a house with a huge heart-shaped red and black door set in its face.

_Is_ it a door? I can't tell…again, I glance over my shoulder. I'm aware that with every step I'm putting myself into a pretty undesirable position, and besides, Kidd and Patty are sure to be home by now.

Just as I'm dithering whether or not to continue, I hear footsteps behind me.

Or is it the rain?

For a moment, I tremble and my heart begins to race. Then I remember. I'm Liz, Liz Thompson, I was the Demon of Brooklyn, and no one ever fucks with me.

I turn around, and Kidd nearly walks into me.

"Argh!"

"Ow!"

"Kidd!"

"Liz!"

"Sis!" Patty barrels into me, sopping wet, and hugging me tightly.

In spite of myself, I have to wince and prise her off. "Patty! You're getting me all wet."

"Hee hee! Sorry!" She smiled apologetically, but still huddles up next to me. "What are you still doing out here, sis? Me and Kidd finished like _aggesss_ ago!"

"Twenty minutes, Patty," he corrects her. Kidd looks very sulky indeed, and I don't blame him. Like always, he refused to bring his umbrella – as he always says, they're so _asymmetric_ – and his black-and-white hair is plastered to his pale forehead.

I hold the umbrella higher so that it covers all three of us. "Sorry. The rain slowed me up."

"Hm. I'm just glad you're okay. It's not safe out so late," he says, fixing me with a stern glare. "And what are you doing down Nightmare Avenue, anyway? The house is that way."

"I know, I just – " Suddenly, I remember, and whip my head around.

The door is gone. I sigh. Figures.

" – never mind. Let's go home, it's freezing."

Patty links her arm through mine, and Kidd takes my other elbow. They both lift a shopping bag off my arms.

With difficulty, we walk off through the rain, but I can't help but glance over my shoulder one more time.

Perhaps I'm just going crazy.

**Patty**

I sit up so suddenly that I nearly fall out of bed.

I touch my face – it's all sweaty and hot. I can feel my heart pounding so hard it hurts.

My room is dark – _too _dark. I hold Gerald Giraffe close and squeeze my eyes shut 'cuz that way the monsters don't see you, they don't, they don't, they're not there, they're not –

I open my eyes again. I see my room, darker than dark, and I see my curtains closed, and a pile of clothes on the floor, and some of my toys have fallen down as well, and I see the clock next to my bed.

It says half-past two.

I flop back on the pillow and immediately feel a bit better. Phew. Nightmares are _scary_. And I don't usually get them that bad, either. Not unless I've eaten a lot before bed. I think back as I stroke Gerald's fur to calm myself down. I didn't eat _that_ much, not today…we found Liz…we walked her home, Kidd made us soup…well, he _tried _to and then Liz had to take over because he started crying because he cut the potato wrong…

And then I had a second bath and then I went to bed

And then someone was trying to kill me and I got Liz out only she wasn't real and no bullets came out and it was a gun made of cardboard, and then…and then…the person got bigger and bigger and they had a horrible massive grin and lots of teeth and there were candles…and they were stabbing me and –

I open my mouth and scream. "Liz!"

The _candles_ were _stabbing _me.

"Liiiiz!"

And the worst part is, the person was laughing, she was laughing and pointing at me and then her mouth opened to swallow me whole and all I could see were her big white teeth and her huge shining eyes like yellow wolf-eyes and those candles –

"Patty!" The door bursts open and Liz dives at me and she hugs me so hard, so hard and I've never felt so safe in my life.

I cling to her, and I cry.

She doesn't tell me off for getting her pyjamas all wet. Instead she holds me close, like she's done all these years, and strokes my hair. "Patty. Shh. What's wrong? What happened?"

"She was going to eat me," is all I can say.

"Who, Patty?" Liz says, very gently. "Was it a nightmare?"

I hesitate before nodding, because it still felt so _real_. "A big one."

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"…no."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

I close my eyes, and again I see those horrible, yellow eyes.

Big, yellow eyes. Round, like the sun. I open my eyes. "Liz."

"Yes, Patty?"

"Who do we know with yellow eyes?"

She stares at me – hers are blue. "Wh-what?"

I click my tongue impatiently. Sometimes she can be a bit slow, because she _never_ understands my explanations, even when I explain things _really _clearly with diagrams and everything. "Yellow eyes. They were in my dream, and I think I've seen them before."

She opens and shuts her mouth a couple of times, like a goldfish. "…you…dreamed them?"

"Yeah."

"So they're not real."

"_No!"_ and I clench my fists because she's not getting it! "They _are_ real! I saw them before! They were like – sort of like - " But then I have to put my hand in front of my mouth because I'm not allowed to say _that_ name. It upsets Liz.

It upsets me, too.

Liz gets up suddenly, and shrugs, but it's not a real shrug, it's too forced. "I don't know Patty. I don't think we know anyone with yellow eyes."

"Liz, Patty." We both look up.

Kidd is standing in the doorway, looking down at us both. His eyes are shining bright yellow under the lamplight.

I stare at him.

Then I realise he's got his clothes on, even though it's night-time.

He looks very serious. "Get dressed. Father's called. He wants us at Shibusen, now."

And just like that, he turns to leave, leaving Liz standing there, opening and closing her mouth like a goldfish.


	3. Questions

**Kidd**

Father stares out at me from the mirror; it's hard to tell behind the mask, but I know he's deathly serious. No pun intended.

"How soon can you be here, Kidd?"

I check the clock above the mirror – it's two-forty-five. "Ten minutes."

"Are Liz and Patty awake?"

"Yes."

"Good. Bring them too."

Behind him, I can see Stein and Nygus, in deep conversation. Spirit stands solidly beside Father, his expression stony. I swallow, and wonder what exactly is going on. What's so important that we have to go to Shibusen this early in the morning? And why does Father need _me_ there specifically?

Well, Liz and Patty too. He seems pretty insistent that I bring them, even though I know that Liz won't like it, not one bit. Her shocked face was answer enough when I told her. I feel bad – Patty looked very upset, and I'd hate to make things worse for her, but Father seems so agitated…

When I look up, he's disappeared from view, and I'm left staring at my own reflection. My own, hideous reflection. I adjust my collar slightly and suddenly Liz appears behind me, staring at me out of the mirror.

I turn to face her. Her expression is pale and wan, her eyes heavy with sleep. Her tie is undone and her hat on wonky, but she's managed to drag a comb through her long hair. Patty stands next to her, uncharacteristically quiet.

I clear my throat awkwardly. "Thanks, guys. I'm sorry you've got to be up this early. I'm not sure what Father wants, but I'm sure it's important."

"It better be," says Liz irritably. She is _not_ happy, and I make a mental note to tread _very_ carefully around her for the next few hours.

"I'm sorry," I say honestly. "I wouldn't wake you up like this if it weren't important."

"I'm tired," says Patty quietly. She takes Liz's hand, and I feel my heart sink. I can't help but wonder what's affected her so much – Patty isn't one to have nightmares, and is always quick to forget them afterwards when she does.

"It'll be quick Patty, I promise," I tell her, trying to smile.

I cross my fingers on both hands behind my back, and hope that I'm not lying.

"Well!" says Liz briskly, suddenly. "I think we should get going, don't you?"

And she turns and strides to the front door, dragging Patty behind her, and so quickly that I have to run after her to keep up.

Outside, it's still dark (unsurprisingly) and very cold. I pull the black hood of my shinigami cloak up, and adjust the mask once more. Although I don't tell Liz and Patty this, I secretly quite like my cloak; it's warm, and it hides my hair. I try not to wear it around Death City though, but Father has taken to insisting upon it. I suppose he has a point; one day, I'll be doing what he does, so I better try and get used to it.

The wind picks up, and Patty claps a hand to her head to stop her hat from blowing off. Liz narrows her eyes, and her sandy hair dances around her face. Safe behind my mask, I stride on, although I admit it's quite difficult to make headway in this weather. I just pray it doesn't start raining again.

"What does your dad want that couldn't wait 'til morning anyway?" says Liz crossly, jogging to catch up with me.

"Yeah, yeah," agrees Patty, stifling a yawn. "Has someone _died_?"

"I don't know," I reply, somewhat curtly. I can't help it; I know about as much as they do, and I'm worried. Father isn't easily ruffled, and I can't help but wonder if this has anything to do with Asura.

Oh god, I hope not.

I stop at the foot of the stairs to contemplate this, and Patty takes the opportunity to rush past me and start racing up to the front doors of Shibusen.

Liz pauses beside me. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head to clear it. "Nothing. Let's go." Trying to be brisk, I push my doubts away and start climbing the stairs after Patty.

Then I pause, and turn around. "Liz."

She stays put at the bottom step, her arms wrapped tightly around herself and her hair flying in the wind. Through the black material of my cloak, she appears somewhat muted. Like a ghost.

Again I have to shake myself. This is completely unpractical. We have to get moving. "Come on, Liz."

"Yeah, sorry. Coming."

I take these steps every day to school but in this wind it's very difficult, and even I'm slightly out of breath by the time we get to the top. Patty's waiting for us, all smiles once more. Maybe she's forgotten her nightmare.

Liz pauses, one hand on Patty's shoulder, and bends over, wheezing. "Just…give…one – second…"

While Patty stands over her and whacks her back rather unnecessarily hard, I stare back over the steps at the moon, and think. It can't be a mission, Father wouldn't be awake just for that, unless it's really urgent? But then why us, and not Maka and Soul, who are just as capable? Unless…unless it's something that requires a Shinigami?

Questions, questions, questions…Sometimes I wish Father would be a little less cryptic. I hope _I_ don't turn out like that.

The click of the front door interrupts my musings, and it swings open to reveal a tired-looking Marie. She looks slightly surprised to see me standing there. "Kidd! Wh – did your father send you?"

"…yes? Why?" I'm just as surprised by her astonishment. "Did he not tell you?"

"No…yes…oh, I don't know…" she sighs, and passes a hand over her eyes. "It's been such a long night."

For the first time, I notice a large purple bruise forming over her left eyebrow, and there's a big plaster on her right hand.

Behind me, Patty notices. "Miss Marie! What happened to your hand?"

"Oh, hello Patty," she smiles, somewhat weakly. "And Liz. Did Kidd make you get up early for this?"

I can't help but notice the way she skirts around the question.

Liz shivers once more. "What's going on, Marie-sensei?"

Marie's one eye becomes clouded, and her expression serious. "There's been…a disturbance."

"What kind of disturbance?"

Again she hesitated, and then stepped aside. "It's probably better you talk to your father first, Kidd. I was on my way home."

I grit my teeth but resign myself to wait. Marie's right; Father's instructions were to come straight to him. "Very well. See you tomorrow."

"Byee!" Patty sings after her. Marie waves over one shoulder as she disappears down the steps.

Liz closes the door behind us. Inside, it's dark – no one's lit the candles – and surprisingly stifling. I pull my mask off and lower my hood. "Let's go find Father."

I don't like the way my voice echoes in the dark. The school is so…unnaturally still without its constant stream of pupils. Every footstep echoes from floor to ceiling, and I give an involuntary shiver as I pass the notice board, still awash with unfinished missions.

Behind me, I can hear Liz practically beside herself with fear. "Why can't we turn the lights on? It's so dark! And I can't hear anything…I bet no one's even here!"

Patty laughs, and it echoes rather unpleasantly. I'm forcibly reminded of the pyramids. "Silly, silly sis! We're in _school_! What could happen here?"

"Didn't Jackie tell you?" hisses Liz urgently, staring wildly over her shoulder. "The school's supposed to be crawling with ghosts…there's the Headless Gym Teacher for a start…and that girl who drowned in the toilets! And what about the - "

I turn and face her. "Liz."

She stops short. "What?"

I take a deep breath; her eyes are huge and wide in the dark, and although I was ready to be curt with her, to ask her to toughen up and quieten down, something inside me gives a little, and I resolve to be kind. "They're just stories, Liz. Jackie was teasing you."

"But just say…"

"It's fine, Liz. I'm here."

"And me!"

"Patty…" Liz moans. "Don't shout…"

But she carries on walking, although she takes my arm in a vice grip that cuts off all circulation to my right arm.

Patty takes my left arm, and I feel much better.

Well, I can feel my right hand going slightly numb, but I don't really mind.

**Liz**

I don't _care _what Kidd says, I'm convinced this school is haunted. It wasn't just Jackie, Kim said so too. And Harvar. And anyway, where's the harm in being careful?

Holding Kidd's arm makes me feel a lot better though. He's walking a little stiffly, and when I glance down at him his brow is set and his eyes are dead focused. I can tell that he's really worrying about what his dad has called him for – if his brain were going any faster, you'd see steam coming out his ears.

Patty breaks the silence with a song. It's a nice thought, but I have to hush her. I don't like the echoes.

And just when I think I'm about to go insane with fear of the dark, a door opens real suddenly in front of us, and light spills into the corridor.

I scream, and fall over. Patty laughs. Kidd helps me to my feet.

A familiar red haired figure is standing in the doorway, which I too late recognise as the entrance to Shinigami's office. Spirit is looking weirdly serious, for him.

Kidd strides over and holds out his hand. Spirit looks down a little confusedly, and then rather awkwardly shakes it.

Patty titters and I shake my head despairingly. Some day, I promise myself, I will teach Kidd to function as a normal human being in modern society. Well, as human as a Shinigami gets anyway.

Spirit ushers us all in with a strangely haggard look on his face. I guess he hasn't got much sleep either. His tie is lopsided, his hair dishevelled and his lip is bloodied. My sense of unease grows. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing, nothing…" he mutters distractedly. "Talk to Shinigami-sama first."

As we pass under the guillotine blades that Shinigami has _so_ tastefully decorated his office with, I glance up and shiver. All traces of tiredness have gone, replaced with a gnawing worry that I can't quite place. What _is_ going on?

Even Patty falls silent as we emerge into Shinigami's office, the clouds scudding around us gently. It's very disconcerting to be walking out into what feels like midday sunshine, what with the white puffy clouds and the sky-blue ceiling.

Shinigami turns and, very unexpectedly, pulls Kidd into an embrace. Behind him, Sid and Nygus look at each other, and Patty starts giggling again.

"F-Father?"

"Thank you, Kidd, for coming," says Shinigami, releasing his son once more. Immediately he turns to Spirit and spreads his hands questioningly. "How was that, Spirit? Fatherly enough? Do I need more practice?"

Spirit manages a tired smile, but gives his meister an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Great progress, sir! Next time try patting him on the head."

"Ex_cuse_ me, Father," says Kidd, somewhat indignantly, as he brushes himself down. "But I'd like to know what's going on."

"Ah yes…" Shinigami nods sagely. "Very important. And I'm glad you brought Liz and Patty…girls, come here, if you please!"

Somewhat nervously, I do as he says. Despite me and Patty living in his house for so many years, Shinigami has always slightly frightened me. I don't know why, I think it's just the fact that we have no idea what he really looks like.

Or maybe, you know, it's the whole tearing-Asura's-face-off and mysterious-violent-past thing.

Patty takes my hand and looks straight into his mask, brazen as you please. "Hiii!"

"Nice to see you Patty, Liz!" He shakes our hands vigorously. "Now, I need your help."

"Our help?" I say in surprise. "What about Kidd?"

"Well, we'll have to wait and see. First…" He nods at Sid, who comes forward holding a piece of paper.

"Now Liz, Patty, please pay very close attention," Shinigami says seriously.

Me and Patty both look obediently at the paper.

Sid unfolds it rather dramatically. "Do you know – who _this_ is?"

I stare, dumbfounded, for a few seconds. "Er…What?" I stare from the paper to Sid to Shinigami, to Kidd. "Is – is this some kind of practical joke?"

Shinigami shakes his head earnestly. "No! No, no Liz! It's _very important_! Please!" he adds, clapping both hands together.

I look back at the paper. Scrawled on it in very messy biro is a rather hasty sketch of what looks like a tomato in a wig. Or a potato. I'm not sure. Stuck on the potato are two circles which I suppose are supposed to be eyes, except that the bottom half is covered with an untidy zigzag, so it doesn't really look like a face at all.

Patty bursts out laughing. "It looks like an onion!"

"Nah, a potato," I correct her. "Onions aren't that round."

Behind us, Spirit coughs and blushes bright red.

Kidd folds his arms. "Father! What on earth is going on?"

But Shinigami remains incredibly serious. "Liz! Patty! Are you _positive _you've never seen this person before? Not ever? Even once?"

"Nuh uh nope, no!"

I try and be a bit more helpful than Patty. "Well…it's really hard to tell from the, er, drawing, Shinigami-sama. Maybe a photo?"

Shinigami takes the paper off Sid and looks at it. "Really? I thought Spirit's drawing was rather good."

Patty stifles a snort.

Spirit looks indignant. "It's not my fault! I didn't get a proper look at him!"

"Proper look at _who_?" Kidd demands.

"Shinigami-sama, this isn't fair on them," Nygus pipes up. "Why don't I take them downstairs?"

"No," says Shinigami immediately. "I don't want them down there until we've worked out what this is."

"But he _knows_ her - "

"Shinigami-sama, if I may," adds Sid, stepping forward. "Nygus is right; maybe Liz can make sense of all this for us."

Kidd and Patty both automatically turn to look at me.

_Me?_

"What're you talking about?" I bluster. What on earth do _I_ have to do with anything? I'm not even a Death Scythe!

Shinigami stares down at Spirit's illustration once more. "Well…I suppose…yes, all right, Sid. But on two conditions - " he raises two fingers. "One: do not open the door, do you hear me?"

Obediently, Sid and Nygus nod.

"Two: five minutes. That's all. Then I want you back up here and we can decide what to do from then."

"Yes, sir."

Nygus opens a door in the opposite wall. She gestures, and me, Kidd and Patty follow in a daze.

Patty takes my hand once more. "Where are we going, sis?"

How the fuck am _I_ supposed to know?


	4. The Prisoner

**[Waaah thanks for your patience. You guys are gods. And goddesses.]  
><strong>

**Liz**

I thought the school was creepy at night, but it's nothing compared to the dungeons. I've never been down here before, and I can safely say that Nygus has managed to get me completely lost. I fix my gaze in front of me, and the soft yellow glow of the lamp Nygus is holding, and squeeze Patty's hand a little tighter.

Behind us, we can hear Sid making his way noisily down the dungeon stairway. Every now and then he slips slightly on the damp stone, and curses under his breath before straightening up and composing himself. "Apologies."

"Keep moving, Sid."

"Sorry."

Nygus reaches the end of the seemingly endless winding staircase – I don't like this, it's horribly claustrophobic, the walls are pressing in so close either side – and turns right.

Me and Patty follow her, and come out into a blissfully open space. I close my eyes briefly and take a deep breath, and it feels like my lungs are expanding to their proper size once more. I really don't do so well in tight spaces, I've decided.

We're lead on down the passageway, which is smelly, dark and damp. Great. This feels even _more_ like a horror movie now.

As I follow Nygus and Patty, I glance upwards and see nothing but pitch black. The feeble lamplight doesn't even penetrate the ceiling. It must be really high.

I shiver as I imagine what it would be like if the lamp went out.

Sid comes up alongside me and gives me what is supposed to be an encouraging nudge. He's so strong that I nearly fall over.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes, catching me. "I guess I don't know my own strength. I never did, really. That's the kind of man I was."

"It's okay." He's not that great conversation, but hey, I'm grateful to him for trying to cheer me up.

In all the excitement and fear of this stupid, horrible dungeon, I'd forgotten what we were there for. But now, my mind has begun to race, and I start picturing just _what_ is waiting for us at the end of this corridor. I also picture Kidd, alone upstairs with his dad and Spirit.

Poor Kidd. He must feel so left out. I hope he's okay. I wish he was down here with us, so much.

"Hey…Sid-sensei?"

"Mm?"

"Where are we going?"

Sid hesitates. I wait, patiently. I know he can't lie, it's 'the kind of man he was' as he's so fond of reminding us. I feel a bit bad, putting him on the spot like this, but I just need to know. It's only fair, right?

"We're going to one of the cells, Liz."

"Why? And why can't Kidd come down here too?"

"Shinigami-sama clearly decided it was best that it was just you two for now."

"_Why_?"

"Sid!" Nygus interrupts sharply, turning around. "We're nearly there, stop yammering!"

"Sorry." Sid hangs his head and falls back in line behind me.

Patty sidles up to take my hand once more. "Hey, sis?" she says in a loud stage whisper.

"What?"

"Where're we going?"

"I don't know, Patty," I sigh. "Sorry."

She looks uncharacteristically thoughtful for a second, holding a finger to her lip in an expression that is both familiar and distinctly un-Patty-like.

It's kind of disconcerting.

I force a smile, and put an arm around her shoulders, shaking her slightly. "Hey."

She looks up.

"I'm sure it's fine. 'Sides, Kidd will know what to do."

She looks a bit happier. "Yeah…yeah, yeah he will, won't he?" She leans her head on me contentedly. "Kidd always knows."

* * *

><p><strong>Kidd<strong>

Father puts a hand on my shoulder – a gesture I'm still not used to. It feels weird. "Calm down, Kidd."

"But Father - "

"Shinigami-sama is right, Kidd," says Spirit, not looking up from the mirror. "He knows what he's doing."

I glare at his back, and then turn back to Father. "_Please_, Father. Tell me what's going on."

And just like that, he takes his hand off my shoulder once more and turns away. Not a father any more – just an enigma behind a mask.

I grind my teeth in frustration. "Liz and Patty are _my_ partners, Father. It's my right."

"We need to wait for Liz's verdict," he tells me, without turning around.

"Her verdict on _what_?"

I see his broad shoulders rise and fall under the cloak.

Fine. I see. I draw myself up and set my brow. "All right then. And what happens then?"

"If it's nothing to do with her, then it's nothing to do with you either…for the time being."

Spirit folds his arms and frowns slightly. "We'll deal with it ourselves."

"But what if it is?"

Father is silent. I glance at Spirit, but he refuses to meet my gaze. Disgusted and exhausted, I fling myself into Father's chair and glower at the pair of them. For once, Father doesn't object. Normally I have to get permission to sit here – it's a power thing, I guess – and I admit that I might have sat down just to garner even the slightest bit of attention, but his lack of reaction worries me. He's really, unnaturally preoccupied.

Death is preoccupied. Somehow that doesn't bode well, does it?

"…Father?"

"We'll have to wait and see," he says stubbornly. "It might – it might be coincidence. Or witchcraft."

"What might?" I say immediately, leaping on his momentary lapse of concentration.

Spirit bites his lip and his gaze flickers to Father for the briefest of seconds.

And Father sighs, a heavy, deep and weary sigh. "Kidd…I know you're worried. I know. I know you're confused."

He turns to look at me again, through the eyeholes of his mask. I swallow. I remember being young, very young, and how I would grab at the mask, laughing, trying to pull it off. Father used to laugh about that too, until I tried it in front of Spirit. I think that was the first time Father's anger made me cry.

"Is Liz in danger?"

"No."

"Patty?"

"No."

"Then what - "

"We were attacked," said Spirit suddenly. "Me and Marie. In Death City. I – we – Nygus and Sid saved us. We brought the attackers here."

"_Tried_ to," added Father, wagging on finger reproachfully, and Spirit blushes furiously. "That wasn't my fault!"

I wave all this aside. "But what has _Liz_ got to do with all this?"

Again Spirit hesitates, and he looks back at Father again, with a slightly apprehensive expression. But Father nods slightly, giving him permission, and he looks back at me. "We've kept one of them downstairs, at least until we work out what to do next. But – well…it's strange, none of us were sure what to make of it…"

He spreads his arms wide in a gesture of confusion. "He keeps asking for Liz."

* * *

><p><strong>Liz<strong>

Sid's hand is on my shoulder, big and comforting, and he speaks in a hushed voice just above a whisper. "Now remember – Nygus and I are here the whole time. We're only going to open the first door, so you won't be able to go all the way in. Nothing will hurt you."

Great. This pep talk is _really_ helping. Now I'm just even more convinced that whatever is waiting behind this huge steel door is just waiting to pounce on me and rip me to shreds in front of everyone.

Nygus uses her lamp to light two torches either side of the door, and then bends down to fiddle with the lock. I hear a jingle of keys, see a flash of steel, and then she straightens up.

Patty whimpers slightly and clings to my arm as Nygus applies her whole weight to the door and slowly pushes it inwards. She has to fiddle with a load of switches and bolts at the hinges – I see the door is spring-loaded, and left alone would just slam straight back into place.

My arm starts to hurt and I have to wriggle slightly to dislodge Patty. I know her too well to think she's scared of the dungeon, or what's behind the door. She's scared because Sid told her I have to go in alone.

There's not enough space, he told us. It's just not safe, he told us. Just Liz for now, he told us. But still Patty whined and snivelled and cried, and now she's quiet and snuffling slightly, but behaving.

I take a deep breath and gently push her off. "I'll be quick Patty, I p-promise." I curse myself for not keep the shake out of my voice.

Nygus steps to one side. Her eyes bore into me, strange and frightening above her blank mask of bandages. "Don't linger, and don't touch the bars." She catches my frightened glance at the enormous door, and pats my shoulder, kind of like Sid did. "Calm down, Liz. It won't shut on you, I promise."

"O-okay."

I can feel my heart pumping so hard it hurts. My hands are sweaty, and I pause to wipe them hurriedly on my jeans.

The door opens into what looks like a long, very narrow corridor. I realise it's an extended cell, sort of like the one they imprisoned Medusa in. Behind the doorway is a space of about five metres, and then there's another door of bars. I can see through it to the back wall.

A dark figure is chained to the brickwork. They're smallish, thin, and look really worn out, slumped to one side as though sleeping.

Oh, God.

Suddenly this isn't scary any more, everything around me pales, retreats, becomes completely insignificant, because my brain is now trying to process the utter _weirdness_ of the situation.

In spite of the warnings I was given, I draw closer and rest my fingers against the bars, without really knowing what I'm doing.

"What - "

He looks up at me. Even in the dim torchlight I see dried blood, a flash of yellow eyes and a tired, hungry expression.

My hands clench around the bars. The blood stains his entire left cheek a smudged, faded brown, but I see no bruising, no cuts because he can't get hurt, can he? Not permanently.

Abruptly, he moves, and the suddenness of it scares me, and I instantly let go of the bars to move back. For a moment he squirms, but they've managed to pin his arms pretty tight – oh, I bet he struggled and screamed and swore and spit the whole time – and he flops back down again, glowering at me sullenly.

"You took your fucking time."

Instinctively my hands ball into fists.

"Do you have _any_ idea how long I've been kept here?"

I watch him warily, because I still don't know how to respond. This is probably some kind of trick, maybe it's not even him.

"It's been three days! _Three days!_ They haven't even fed me!" A whining note starts to creep into his voice, and suddenly I find it aggravating.

"I didn't know!" I explode back at him. "I had no idea you were even here! They didn't tell me! Why – what…"

"What's the _matter_?"

"You're _David_!" I splutter. "You – how – _why_…_what _are you doing here? In Shibusen!"

"Is _that_ what this place is called?" He looks distinctly unimpressed. "I thought we'd found the Black Order or something, everyone was going crazy and trying to kill us again."

I note the use of the word 'we'. Yes, that's right. Two of them. That's how they always are, always two, never just 'I' or 'me'. It was always 'us' and 'we' with David and – and Jasdero.

I draw closer to the bars once more. "Where's Jasdero?"

And David's face crumples.

He doesn't cry, but a shadow passes across his face and he squeezes his eyes shut. "I don't know."

I put my fingers against the cold metal of the bars once more. "You – don't?"

"I've been down here for three days," he mumbles again, looking despondent. I suddenly realise that when he says three days, it's not the lack of food or the agony of thirst he's counting – it's the time spent without Jasdero by his side. I remember when I first started to get to know David, and that strange sense that he _needed_ Jasdero in a way that I couldn't comprehend or measure.

He glares at me again. "If Jas was here, I'd have been out of here like _that_, understand? They wouldn't stand a chance."

I shake my head slightly pityingly, and grip the bars again, leaning forwards to get a better view of him. "I just…I still can't believe it's _you_. You're _here_."

"Have you seen Jas?"

"What? No! Of course I haven't!"

"Well I don't know, do I?" he snaps back. "I have no idea where he's gone!"

"Can't you just do your…you know, mind thingy?" I ask, waving a hand vaguely beside my temple.

He bites his lip and for the first time looks like what he is – a scared boy in a world he doesn't know. "I – can't. Something…I don't know, I guess it's just 'cuz we're not at home. It doesn't work as well."

I can feel my heart softening. Ohhh no, Liz. Don't. Walk away. Walk away, _now_, tell the others, let _them_ sort it out. Don't get mixed up in this, because you'll get hurt. He's dangerous, he's –

A hand descends on my shoulder, and I jump.

Sid is standing over me, looking stern. "Time's up."

"Wait – !"

"No. Shinigami-sama was adamant. And Liz…" He casts a slightly disgusted gaze over my shoulder to David, sitting filthy and alone in his cell. "We told you not to touch the bars."

"I – I – "

"Let's go."

"No!" yells David suddenly, struggling forwards once more. I swear I can hear the metal straining this time as he fights his bonds. "Not yet!"

"Be quiet!" Sid snaps back. I recoil at the anger in his voice. Sid's always been so – so calm and collected. Kind, even.

"Sid-sensei…"

"We have to go back upstairs, Liz."

"Liz! Come back!" David still hasn't given up, but I can see his efforts are useless. "Get me out of here!"

"I'll talk to them, David," I promise him, although not with a great deal of conviction. I'm going to have to convince them that David means no harm, and how can I do that when I'm not even sure myself?

"Don't go!"

Sid puts both hands on my shoulders and steers me forcefully through the door into Patty's waiting arms. I twist around and catch one last glimpse of David's desperate, bloody face.

"_Liiiiiz!"_


	5. Sleep on it

**David **

This is just –

Fuck.

God_damn_.

Fucking fuck shit crap dammit _all_ to goddamn _hell_ –

Oh, god…

I slump to one side once more, resting my head against the cold stone wall.

She…

She's so –

I close my eyes.

Her hair is longer than I remember it being. But that blonde…I remembered that, I remembered it just right. She's –

_So annoying!_

Just _leaving _me here!

Well, fuck her. Fuck them all. If she wants to side with them and leave me all alone here to rot, then that's her problem. I'll get out of here, I'll find Jasdero and then she'll be sorry.

Oh, Jasdero.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I really am sorry, and I never usually say sorry so you of all people will understand how _really very _sorry I am. I should never have –

Ugh. Forget it. Listen to me, just sitting here and blaming myself.

Huh. Blaming myself. Never really done that before, never really needed to. Things are never my fault, it's always someone else's (usually Tyki's). But this time – this time…

I groan, and press my forehead against the cold wall. It's slimy, and smells bad, but I don't really care. Because it's _my fault_. It's my fault I let Jasdero talk Road into putting us here. It's my fault we weren't more careful, and so it's my fault we got lost, and that means it's _my fault_ we started fighting with those – those _people._

And maybe, _maybe_, if I paid a bit more attention, maybe it wouldn't have been my fault that Jasdero got cornered. And then it wouldn't be my fault that I told him to run and so he did and I got stuck behind which meant I got captured and obviously he didn't and so now he's lost and it's _all my fault._

I clench my teeth. Don't be so _stupid_, David. You didn't know! How _could_ you have known? And besides, don't blame yourself, 'cuz then you're just blaming Jasdero too, and you should never, ever blame Jasdero for this.

Blame _them_.

Yeah, that's right. Why did this happen? Because we decided to come here. And why did we? Because Jasdero wanted to see _them_ again. He wanted to see _Patty_ again.

I ignore the little whisper at the back of my head that tells me that maybe, or maybe more than maybe, it wasn't just Jasdero, you stupid, _you_ wanted to just as much as he did, maybe _more_, 'cuz at first he couldn't even remember them, could he?

I squash it flat. When you grow up with a head full of little whispers, you learn to ignore then. I'm really good at it.

But now, I miss the one little whisper that's always been there. It's weird, not having Jasdero in my head 24/7. Sometimes he's there all the time, non-stop and just a bit irritating, sometimes he goes quiet, or just stops thinking for some reason, but he always comes back eventually.

Three days is a long time, though.

I hate to admit it, but it's been _lonely _down here. Sometimes someone would come down to check on me, just opening a tiny barred window in that huge iron door, before slamming it shut and stomping away. Seeing Liz at last was almost – nice.

A relief.

I bang my head a little harder against the rock. I'm such an idiot, what did I even think would happen? That she'd rush in with arms open wide to save me?

Psh.

Still. She could have at least looked happy to see me.

I _did _come all this way.

I've gotten bored of banging my head against the wall, so I sit back once more and stare at the dank black ceiling.

I _could_ break out of here if I wanted, easy, but I think I'll leave it. Wait and see what Liz does first. It'll be entertaining, if anything.

(I'm not lying, I _could_, I really could.)

(It's true.)

**Kidd**

I can't remember the last time I've seen Liz like this. In fact, I don't think I've _ever_ seen Liz like this. She's…I don't know. Scared isn't the word. Upset, maybe?

Patty looks almost as concerned as I feel, and takes her sister's hand gently. Liz shakes her head for the third time, worryingly wordless.

Spirit bites his lip, and glances at Father once more. "Liz. I know this may be difficult for you, but we really need you to cooperate. _Who is he_?"

"He's – he's – " Liz manages to squeak out between her fingertips. But the words don't come. I grit my teeth and swallow, but my heart thuds painfully in my chest as I hold my tongue.

Father sighs, and starts from the beginning. "Liz. You've already confirmed for us that you know him, is that right?"

"Yes…" whispers Liz helplessly. Patty whines and cuddles a little closer.

"Is he from Brooklyn?"

"No…"

"How do you know him, then?"

When Liz doesn't answer, Sid steps forward. "You seem to know him fairly well, Liz, is that right? I don't want to pry, it's not the sort of person I was, but…"

"What is he to you?" interrupts Nygus, folding her arms. "A friend? Or –"

I don't miss the silence behind Nygus' statement. The implication hangs heavily in the air; is this person a friend of Liz's, and by default a friend of Shibusen? Or are they an enemy of hers, and so –

Liz casts a terrified glance towards me.

I can't bear to see her looking at me like that. Clearing my throat rather awkwardly, I step forward to confront my father. "Father, I – I think we should leave this matter aside for – for now."

He stares down at me. At least, I think he does. I suppose it's quite sad, in a way, that for a majority of my adolescence my own father looked at me through a mask.

"This is a very concerning situation, Kidd. Stein was very seriously injured."

"I know, but – " I swallow in spite of myself; everyone's looking at me (is my hair straight? Why is Nygus frowning like that?). In slight desperation, I resort to, "_Please_, Dad. Liz is too tired right now. We're all too tired."

Patty and Liz slowly look from me to Spirit to Shinigami, with a distinct aura of beseechingness about them. I can see Father considering the prospect, and whether it was Patty's hopeful expression, Liz's air of despondency or maybe just my use of the word 'Dad', he eventually shrugs and gestures vaguely towards the door. "Good point, Kidd. We'll talk tomorrow."

"But sir – !" Nygus, Spirit and Sid all begin protesting. They fall silent as Father waves one gigantic hand dismissively.

"Please, friends! The children are tired, they need their sleep! We can discuss Stein's situation now, and talk to Liz again tomorrow – if she is happy with that, that is," he adds kindly, and Liz nods vaguely.

"Off you go then! Sleep tight!"

Patty takes my elbow and gently steers both Liz and I towards the exit. Just before I pass under the first of the distinctive guillotine blades, Father calls to me.

I turn. "Yes, Father?"

"Tomorrow, 10 AM. I mean it, Kidd. Please come straight here, with Liz and Patty."

I bow. "Yes Father."

As I stride after Liz and Patty, the doors sliding shut behind me, I hear Father say, "did you _hear_, Spirit? He called me _Dad!_"

I suddenly feel so tired that all I want to do is fall into bed and sleep for eight hours, but I realise I can't. I can't leave Liz like this, I have to make sure _she's_ okay first. It's important.

I tiptoe quietly down the corridor, and quietly knock on her bedroom door. It's standing slightly ajar; she never usually does that, she knows it bothers me.

When I get no reply, I carefully push it further open, and see Patty and Liz sitting side by side on Liz's bed. Patty is resting her little blonde head on Liz's shoulder, and gently strokes her trembling hands. It's a very surreal scene, especially considering I can't even remember the last time Patty comforted Liz like this.

Having not noticed me yet, Patty continues talking to Liz in a slight undertone. " – and you remember how they saved us from that big old nasty man and that girl?"

Mutely, Liz nods. "I guess."

"See? You _worry_ so much, sis! They won't hurt _anyone_."

I feel as though I should interrupt at this point, and do so as prudently as possible with a slight clearing of the throat. My partners both look up, Patty's eyes large and heavy with sleep, Liz's bright with worry. Both blue.

"Is – is everything okay, Liz?"

"Mmh."

I sit down slowly on a chair opposite the bed, after carefully moving a pile of magazines to the floor (must remember to alphabetize those in the morning…). "Are you sure?"

She sighs heavily, and I see her soft bare shoulders rise and fall in perfect symmetry. "No…no, Kidd, things are not okay, but it's just – I mean…it's confusing."

"You don't have to tell me about it, but – "

"Kidd," she interrupts, biting on her thumbnail. "Wh – what will they do if they decide he _is_ evil?"

I blink. There's concern in those deep blue eyes of hers. Is she close with this person? I swallow my questions and shrug as nonchalantly as possible. I mustn't worry her. "I – I'm not sure, Liz. If they're a _kishin_ soul, then Father will probably – "

"But he's _not_," says Liz surprisingly vehemently.

"Then why don't you tell – "

"Can people be bad, and not be _kishin_?"

I'm thrown by the question. I've never really thought about it before. I suppose – I suppose the answer is no…well, every evil person we've ever had to defeat has either been a witch or a _kishin_ egg, anyway. I can feel Liz and Patty's nervous eyes on me, and I swallow hastily. "Er…I – I'm not sure, Liz. I don't think so."

To my surprise, Patty breaks into a broad grin, and she nudges Liz. "See, sis? I _told_ you so!"

Liz looks less convinced. "But – but…"

"Oh, pshaw," Patty scoffs. "You _worry _so much, Liz. He'll be fine! We'll just tell Shinigami-sama _everything_ in the morning and – and – " She pauses, and half her face disappears in a gargantuan yawn. "Man. I'm going to _sleep_. Night."

Liz and I watch her slouch out the room, forgetting to close the door _again_.

I turn around. "Liz – "

"Look, Kidd, I – I'm pretty tired too. Can we just – can we just leave it, for now?" She looks at me pleadingly, and I feel my resolve waver.

She's right. I have no right to keep pestering her about this. She's tired, and upset, and I have to accept that she'll tell me when she's ready.

Still. I can't help but wonder who she met down there, and what they said to shake her up so much.

Sometimes I forget that Liz had a life in Brooklyn before she met me.


	6. Pressure

**Liz**

It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do for you. Also amazing what it can't do for you. I must have slept for seven hours straight and yet here I am, in front of Shinigami-sama, still none the wiser what to say.

I demanded to see David again, but they told me no, said he was sleeping.

Like hell he is, I bet he's screaming the place down even now.

Kidd stands some way behind me, with Patty. She's holding his hand, looking nervous. Earlier today, as we were eating a very late breakfast, Patty took me aside and asked me, with unnatural urgency, if Jasdero was down there too.

I don't like upsetting my sister, and it nearly broke my heart to see that horrified expression cross her normally so happy face as I had to explain that Jasdero was missing. Of course, she wanted to go search for him immediately.

"No, Patty, it's too dangerous."

"But _Liz_!"

"Shinigami-sama still thinks they're the enemy! If we go off looking for Jasdero without telling him, who knows what will happen to David?"

"Then we should just tell – "

"I have to explain _everything_ to Shinigami-sama," I say firmly. "Even that they're dangerous."

"They're not – "

"They injured Marie-sensei," I remind her. "And Professor Stein."

"I bet they didn't," mumbles Patty sullenly, but she sees sense and clams up.

I'm glad for her obedience now, when I need it most. It's hard to formulate my thoughts with Spirit and Nygus glowering at me from behind Shinigami-sama. I guess they don't like Jasdevi too much.

Thankfully, Shinigami-sama is the patient type. I guess any father of Kidd would_ have _to be. " – and you say they're good people, on the _bad_ side?"

I nod awkwardly, realising how stupid that sounds. "Yes, sir." Of course, me and Patty told Shinigami-sama about our little trip to Jasdevi's world. We had to. But we didn't ever go into much detail. Oh, we talked about the explosions. The fighting, the house, the trees, the _akuma_. But we didn't talk about what it _felt_ like. Not about David, and how angry he could get, nor about Jasdero and how much he cried. Somehow, by telling the story like that, they stopped becoming people; stopped becoming _real_.

Well they're pretty fucking real right now, I can tell you that, and one of those _people_ is chained downstairs, his fate practically in my hands.

"You won't deny that they're dangerous."

I swallow. "If I could just talk – "

"Liz, we can't release him if you think he's going to be a threat to Shibusen."

"I know, it's just – "

"Would he listen to you? Would you stop him from being a threat?"

I pause, the 'yes' waiting apprehensively on the tip of my tongue, because I know deep down that it isn't true. To claim that I could control David would stupid, and probably doing him more harm than good in the long run.

I swallow. "I can – talk to him."

And to my surprise, Shinigami-sama nods. "We-ell…Okay then. Nygus will take you down, see what you can do."

As I follow Nygus to the nearest door, Shinigami calls me and I turn. "Yes, sir?"

"I mean it when I say we won't be able to release him. I don't want to endanger my students."

"Yes, sir."

**Kidd**

The room is awkwardly silence with Liz's departure. Spirit looks furious. "Shinigami-sama! Why are you letting Liz down there again? We don't know the extent of his powers; what if he's doing something to her mind?"

"Have more faith, Spirit," says Father amicably. "Liz is a much stronger woman than you seem to give her credit for."

This surprises me somewhat. It never occurred to me that Father paid much attention to my weapons outside of schooltime.

As Father and Spirit continue their conversation in slightly-too-loud undertones, I suddenly become aware of Patty plucking at my sleeves.

Her eyes are huge and round in her pale face, and she looks upset. "Kidd…you won't let – them hurt him, will you?"

Oh, Patty. I sit her down in Father's chair, and pat her shoulder, trying to make my voice as gentle as possible. "Patty…I – I can't tell Father what to do. And if he needs to protect Shibusen, then…"

"But Kidd!" whines Patty, biting her top lip. "They're not going to hurt anyone! I wouldn't let them!"

It strikes me as odd, how Patty says _they_. I thought only one person was being kept downstairs?

Then I remember their stories about _Jasdevi_. What were their names again?

Patty's hand on my sleeve drags me back to the present. "Kidd…"

Because she looks so despondent, so confused, I say, "I'll do my best Patty, I promise."

She holds out both of her pinky fingers. "Symmetry Promise?"

I sigh. "Okay. Symmetry Promise." And I link my little fingers through hers and shake on it, trying not to think about what I might have gotten myself into.

"Patty…who _are_ they, anyway?"

It's her turn to fall silent, and she stares at her feet for a few seconds. I wait patiently; when Patty's silent she's usually thinking very, very hard. When she finally looks up at me, her eyes are serious. "They're not bad people."

"But – you told me – " I rapidly try and remember all the stories they told me about Jasdevi. Explosions…guns…something about enjoying killing.

"I _know_," says Patty vehemently, and I can see her confusion making her angry; I take a precautionary step back. "I _know_ what we said…but – but they're _not bad_. They can't – they can't help it."

"What? Is someone controlling them? Like – like Crona and Medusa? Is that it?"

"Mmm…Kind of. I think. It's not – it's _not their fault_." She looks more certain of this than I've ever seen her. "They weren't saved."

I feel I'm losing track of the conversation slightly. "What do you mean, Patty? Saved by whom?"

She points at me.

I frown. "_I _didn't save them? What are you talking about?"

"You saved me and Liz," she says, very matter-of-factly. "We were bad. We were _terrible_."

I open my mouth but she cuts across me, shaking her little blonde head. "We _were_. We hurt people, and kicked them and stuff. We didn't care. And that's what Jasdevi do. Sometimes."

"So...Jasdevi _are_ bad?"

"No!" She looks irritated that I'm not getting it. Sometimes Patty's train of thought is very frustrating to follow. "Look…Kiddo, am _I_ bad? Is _Liz_ bad?"

"Of course not!" I'm thrown by the ridiculous question. "You're the best people I've ever met."

"But we did bad things," Patty points out. "We were the Demons of Brooklyn."

"Ye-es…but not because you were bad. You did bad things. But you changed, and you were willing to change. Which makes you a good person."

"Exactly!" says Patty, beaming and shaking my hands excitedly. "See?"

I'm baffled, to be honest. "S-See what?"

Frustrated, Patty inflates her cheeks. "_Look_. You _saved _us. We wouldn't of changed f'you hadn't come along."

I'm so dazed by this I forget to correct her grammar.

"Liz always said," says Patty, hugging her knees to her chest. "She always said we gotta be _grateful _to you. Cuz you made us good."

In spite of myself, I feel a hot flush creeping up my neck. She said that?

"But Jasdevi, they didn't have no Kidd to save them," says Patty somewhat mournfully. "So they just got worse, and worse. They're good. They're really good, the goodest people I know – 'cept you, of course – it's just they never got told _how_ to be good."

**David**

I hear the click of the locks, and the horrible, strange groaning as the door is pushed open. Weak torchlight streams in – ow, that's bright – and I screw my eyes up.

I hear rapid footsteps, and then a rusty clink as someone grabs the bars.

"David!"

Ugh. "Oh, nice of you to drop by. Remembered I'm here, have you?"

I pretend I don't see her staring down at me, looking – upset?

Is she really worried about me?

"I'm trying, David, I really am."

"Well try harder!" I hear myself snarl. Hate me all you want, but you try staying locked underground for four days and keep yourself in good temper. "It's fucking freezing down here!"

"I know…" she says miserably. I narrow my eyes at her through the gloom. What's with her? Is she – feeling _sorry_ for me?

"Why can't you just tell them to let me go?" I ask her suspiciously.

Slowly, she slides to the floor, until she's sitting level with me, staring through the bars. I try not to stare back, but it's quite hard. Yep, her hair is _definitely_ longer than I remember.

"They're scared of you."

"Better be," I sneer. Load of bastards – who do they think they are anyway, locking me up, attacking me and Jas like that, pretending they can make decisions about me – _me!_

"It's not funny, David!" And her voice is shrill in the echoey dungeon. "They could really hurt you!"

"Oh come _on_." I roll my eyes, even though I know she won't notice it. "Those losers?"

She puts her head in her hands and groans. "David, I have to convince them you're a good person…you're making this very difficult."

"Get me out of these chains and I'll show them how 'good' I can be," I mutter angrily, because it's painful being chained up like this for so long. I think I've lost the use of my left arm. Every time I move, it feels like the pressure increases on my wrists, until my joints are screaming in agony.

She looks up at me, and for a moment, my stomach squirms uncomfortably. I feel…guilty. Maybe she's trying harder than I give her credit for.

I look away again, because I realise I can't quite look her in the eye for too long. It feels too odd. "What about – Jasdero…Have you seen him?'

Her shoulders slump even lower. "No, David. I'll keep an eye out, I promise."

"Don't you let them touch him."

"I won't."

"Promise."

"I do!"

I sigh. It's the best I can do for Jasdero at the moment. It's so _hard_, without him here. Being separated from him for so long…it's nothing like I thought it would be. I thought I'd always manage fine, stay healthy, stay strong, find him again, if this ever happened. But actually, it's not that easy. I guess you can't keep two halves of a whole apart without them suffering at least a bit.

I wonder if he feels as weak and sore as I do.

"D-David?"

"Gn." I loll my head to one side and glance at her through one half-open eyelid. "Yeah?"

Liz bites her lip. It's a vaguely familiar gesture; means she's worried. "If I can't make them release you, then – it's very likely that they might – kill you."

Oh, _great_. Just _great_. "I'm chained down here at the mercy of these fuckers and now you're telling me they want me dead?" I try and sit up, move forward, make a break for it, _anything_, but again those _goddamned_ chains pull me up short. Stupid things! "They can't fucking do this!"

"You don't understand, David," she snaps back, clenching her hands around the bars. "There are _rules_ here, in this world, all right? And you got to follow them."

I stop squirming. I don't like the sound of this. "What…rules?'

"If you kill someone – murder them – you've broken Shinigami's laws. Only he decides when it's their time, and only he collects their soul."

"What's that got to do with – "

"_Listen!_" she says angrily. "It's not just that! If you're a murderer, your soul becomes tainted. You get blacklisted. You're dead to Shibusen."

I frown, and then snort. What a load of rubbish. "Well I don't know about you, but where I come from, souls don't exist. Not for me, anyhow."

"Believe me, David, they're very real here. And I hate to think what Shinigami-sama will see when he takes a good look at yours."

Something in the way she says it makes my blood run cold, just for a second. "Who – "

"He's our God. God of Death," says Liz evasively, twisting a lock of blonde hair around and around her finger. I follow the motion with my eyes, almost without realising.

"But… you – you said that…" I screw my eyes up, trying to remember. Come _on_! Why is it so hard to think? Why can't I remember anything about Liz and Patty?

My brain whispers the answer, Jasdero, _Jasdero, _fucking _Jasdero_, over and over again, because I _know_ why I can't think straight. We're like that yin-yang thing. You know. Left and right and all that. Balance.

Besides, he's the one that remembers Liz and Patty. Not me. It was never me.

I remember that blonde, though. And the red of her top.

I look away.

"What did I say, David?"

"I don't remember."

There's a silence, filled only by the distant drip-drip as something slimy and disgusting drips from the ceiling. Fuck, I hate this place.

"I have to go," Liz says, surprisingly softly.

"Don't," I hear myself say, before I can do anything. I swallow. "Don't leave me – here."

"I promise, I'll do what I can. But you have to cooperate."

I hang my head, and close my eyes, shutting everything out. Except the metal digging into my wrists, of course.

"David!"

"All _right_!" For some reason, I hate myself for saying this even more than I do for asking her to stay. But what else can I do?

There's a movement, and I look up to see her putting her arm through the bars. We're both silent for a moment; suddenly I'm overcome by an urge to grip her hand in mine, because she's the only one who's fighting for me right now, and she's all me and Jas have to rely on, but of course, my hands are pinned painfully behind my back.

She reaches out kind of awkwardly, like she wants to give me a comforting pat or something, but then thinks better of it. Eventually, she just squeezes my shoulder.

I don't look as she stands up, but when she speaks, I listen.

"We're going to get you out of here, David. Don't you go dying on me."

I scowl at her. "You know me better than that."

"And don't swear at them. You want to make a _good_ impression."

Here they come again, the _lectures_, the _nagging_. I turn away as best I can, make it clear the conversation is _over_. "Next time I'll bite your fucking fingers off."

**Liz**

Well, that's gratitude for you, I think, as Nygus takes me back upstairs, back up the horrible winding stone staircase.

I do admit though, it was a shock, seeing David again. He seems so much…thinner. I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but he's definitely different. Much more subdued.

I hate to say it, but taking a break from Jasdero seems to be doing him some good.

That said, I don't know how long he's going to hold out. How exactly does it _work_ with those two? Like, do they just waste away and die if they're separated for too long?

I put a hand out to steady myself as we reach ground level. I hope not.

As Nygus strides down the corridor ahead of me, leading the way back to Shinigami's office, I reflect on the task I've taken on. I promised David I would save him. I promised him I'd find Jasdero.

But I also promised to be truthful to Shinigami-sama.

How can I do _both_? I can't lie to Shinigami-sama, I _can't_, and not just because he's Kidd's dad. If Shinigami takes a proper look at David, he's sure to see straight through him, no matter how well-behaved David pretends to be.

A soul as angry and full of killing intent as David's must be halfway to _kishin _at least.

Oh, _why_ couldn't it have been Jasdero trapped down there, and not David? Something about Jasdero is so – so pure and almost sweet, I'm sure it would have protected him.

Nygus pauses by the door, and raises a hand to knock – but suddenly lowers it again and turns to face me.

The single eye that I can see is blazing, and intense. "Don't let your feelings blind your loyalty to Shinigami-sama."

I blink. "I wouldn't – _ever_ betray Shinigami-sama, Nygus-sensei.'

She scrutinises me over the bandages. "Who is that boy, really? To you?"

I feel myself go hot and cold at the question, mainly because I just have no idea how to answer it, and yet it seems so important. "He – he's…kind of a friend."

"You're lying," she says sharply, taking me by the wrist and giving my arm a little shake. "You're lying to me, you're lying to Shinigami-sama, but worst of all, you're lying to yourself."

I wish she'd stop staring at me. Nygus has a habit of knowing and seeing just a little too much. "I – I…"

And anyway, she's wrong. She's wrong. The worst part is not that I'm lying to myself, because I _don't_ know what David is to me, not yet. The worst part is that I'm lying to Kidd, and I'm lying to Patty. I'm lying to Kidd because I won't tell him what I'm thinking and feeling, and I'm lying to Patty because I keep telling her everything's going to be okay, even though I don't know if it will.

Nygus grips my wrist. "There's a lot of people watching you, Liz. Watching carefully."

My eyes suddenly fill up with tears, I feel my nose get got and I clench my teeth, holding the sob back and hating myself for it. Because she's right. I can wail and cry and sob about how it's unfair, and how I have to deal with this when no one else does, but it doesn't change the fact that it's my problem. Even if I'm not quite sure how I got into this in the first place.

She doesn't say anything, just stands there and holds both my arms, watching me fight back the tears. When I've finished swallowing and gulping furiously, she squeezes my arms and lets go. "Well. Just so you know. I'm here, in case you're ready to start telling the truth."

I wipe my nose on my sleeve, staring suspiciously at her. Is this some kind of trick? Nygus seems to _hate_ David, I thought she was just impatient to get him condemned to death or whatever, and move on.

I open my mouth to ask what she thinks I should do, but she shoulders me out of the way and opens the door. "Go on."

As I walk past, I glance nervously at her. She raises her eye to the ceiling and follows silently behind, as if she'd never said anything at all.

I take a deep breath, and try to work out what I'm going to say.

* * *

><p>I stare up at the light fixture hanging from the ceiling. It looks weirdly alien in the dark.<p>

Ugh. I roll onto my side to try and get more comfortable, and tuck one arm under my pillow. But I _still_ can't get to sleep. Every time I close my eyes, David's filthy face drifts to the surface of my subconscious, and again I hear Shinigami's voice…_"We're running out of time, Liz."_

And Spirit's disapproving frown. _"We need a verdict."_

I _still _don't know what to say to them.

I _don't_ want them to kill David.

But deep down, I don't know if I want him loose either. I draw the duvet more tightly around myself.

After seeing David for the second time, I told Shinigami that I'd explained the situation to him, that I'd described how our world works. I said that David 'didn't know he'd done wrong', but thinking back, that was a pretty stupid thing to say. I mean, no matter where you're from it's going to be 'wrong' to hurt people, right?

Shinigami had been surprisingly accepting of this, though. He'd sort of nodded, shrugged, and turned away. _"I'll talk to him myself at some point."_

Ominous words. I pray that David doesn't start mouthing off. I can only imagine the sorts of horrible names he'd call Shinigami-sama, not to mention Spiri –

_Crash._

I sit up. My heart thuds painfully in my chest.

A few seconds pass.

Then I hear another crash, followed by the tinkle of broken glass.

My mind whirls. Shinigami is out, Kidd _never_ breaks things, and when he does it's usually accompanied by a wail of despair, and if it were Patty smashing up the kitchen, we'd know. Whoever's down there sounds like someone who doesn't want to be heard.

It can only mean that _someone is breaking in._

I'd always feared this scenario, simply because my bedroom is closest to the back staircase, which leads straight to the kitchen. Which means they'll _get me first_.

I breathe out, slowly. Not going to happen. Slowly, carefully, _silently_, I slip out of bed and creep across the floor.

Desperately I cast about for a weapon. All I can find is my straighteners, lying carelessly on the floor. I pick them up, gripping the cord tightly in both hands. It'll do, as a makeshift nunchuck. In any other situation, I'd find this quite funny.

Holding my breath, I just manage to squeeze through the gap in my bedroom door, and began tiptoeing across the landing. I'm tempted to go wake Kidd and Patty up, but whoever's down there is moving around quite a bit, and I don't want them to escape before we can do anything.

I swallow. I _have to do this_.

As I reach the top step and begin mincing my way downwards, I hear a strange flapping sound. For a moment I freeze, then I realise it must be the kitchen curtains, caught in the breeze. They've broken the window.

The door is ajar, and as I draw closer, a shadow flits across the slit of yellow light. Okay, Liz. This is it. You're a big girl, you can _do this_. Think how proud Patty and Kidd will be. Think of that asshole, whoever they are, pilfering _your stuff_. (Don't think of how you used to do that. Don't think of the irony...)

I kick the door open.

There's broken glass all over the floor, and a couple of chairs are lying overturned by the table. The curtain flaps in the wind like a mad thing.

A second mad thing is sitting hunched on the table, a streak of blood running down his face.

Jasdero takes one look at me, and bursts into tears.


	7. I can't tell

**David**

"Rise and shine, kiddywink!"

Ooh, that's funny. That's really funny, that is. Who do you think you are, Tyki or something?

I don't even raise my head as I hear the window being slid open. I'm sick of glaring up at them and seeing just a pair of laughing eyes staring back through the tiny letterbox-shaped gap. Fuck them all, they can leave me alone to die for all I care.

This time, there's a pause. Then I hear the same voice, sounding maybe just a _teeny _bit worried. "Hey – you in there! You all right?"

"Maybe you ought to go take a look," says someone else.

I don't move, but inside I grin to myself. Yeah, that's right, fucker. Why don't you come on in and see how _all right _I am?

They bang on the door, _clang-clang clang_. "Hey!"

"Let me see."

A pause.

"See? Nothing."

" – Do you think he's dead?"

"I dunno. Maybe – maybe we should go get Sid."

"Let's make sure."

"_You_ make sure."

"Why me?"

"Your idea."

They carry on like this for a while. At one point I want to shout, to scream, tell 'em to shut up because it's giving me a _fucking_ headache, but – well – if I'm being honest, I'm just too goddamned weak.

Ugh…Jasdero…

It started as this horrible little buzzing in my left ear, which sorta spread until now my whole head feels weird and fuzzy. And my legs hurt. And my arms. And I'm just _tired_, all the time, which has never happened before.

I better just make it clear, right now, I'm _not sick_, okay. I don't get sick. I never get sick, getting sick is for pathetic wimps who don't do nothin' but stay in bed all the time.

And as I hear the metal locks sliding and grating over one another, I remind myself that I'm not one of those wimps. Not gonna take their shit lying down.

But, oh god, I'm tired…

Suddenly I realise someone's standing right by the bars, and for a crazy second I think it's Liz, come to see me again. Then I get a smell of sweat, and coffee, and realize it's not Liz, it's a man, and I'm staring at the ground so he can't see my face, and all I know about him is that he's got shiny shiny boots and a deep voice.

The shiny boots kick the bars, and they rattle. "Mornin', sunshine!"

A second voice calls from the first door. "Well?"

"Not moving."

"He dead?"

Shiny Boots crouches down and tries to peer into my face. "Don't _think_ so…"

He puts a hand through the bars.

I remember Liz.

And suddenly she's there in the cell with me, I hear her stupid voice, her stupid telling-off voice, and her blue eyes and she's telling me off and she says "my god David, is that you? So tiny and weak, I barely recognise you!"

And then she's telling me to cooperate and suddenly she's in front of me and puts her arm through the bars to pat my shoulder and I remember how _angry _I am at her and what I said –

"_Next time I'll bite your fucking fingers off."_

– cooperate, my ass.

The shiny boots are kicking and thrashing and slamming into the bars over and over again and hear that deep voice screaming and it's climbing higher and higher until it doesn't sound so deep any more. There's a rush of salt and tang and metal and there's blood flowing over my teeth as I bite down harder on flesh and bone.

This is for you, Jasdero.

"Aaaaaaargh! Fuuck! Fucking _help_ me, aaaaargrghh!"

"What's happened?'

"My _fingers_! My _fucking fingers_, get him _off_!"

He's got skinny little hands for such a big man.

Suddenly another figure appears, towering over the first, and he leans down and tries to punch me through the bars, only it's an awkward angle and it doesn't come down nearly as hard as he meant it to.

I shake my head and bite down harder. Something _crunches _and someone screams.

"He's going to bite them off! Get him_ off_, what the _fuck_ is wrong with you? _Gyyaaaaagh_!"

The second guard kneels and grabs my head with both hands.

I realise what's going to happen and struggle backwards as hard as I can except that I'm so weak, so tired…I grit my teeth and taste his blood. Your fingers are _mine_, bastard.

The other man tenses and pulls my head forward, bashing my forehead on the metal bars. I shut my eyes as he does it again, and again, and again, until there's blood running into my eyes and I feel dizzy and faint.

I hang on tight.

The bashing goes on and on and on and on and on and on and –

" – and a towel, he's absolutely filthy."

"But I – "

"Do as I say."

Something's different.

And I don't mean the blurry-blurry when I open my eyes, that's not different, that's been there for a while now.

I see a flash of white, and yellow, and someone's shoe squeaks on the damp floor.

"Can you hear me?"

I try and tell them to leave me alone but I can't even raise my head.

Someone leans in very close.

Blonde hair.

I screw up all the energy I have and roll to one side. Colours flicker in and out of view.

"Jasdero?"

The blonde hair disappears suddenly, as though they'd moved away. I hear the voice again, but the words are so hard to hear – so hard…

" ––––ak –––sa––g ––tu–a ––?"

I close my eyes and groan to myself. That's not Jasdero. A girl's voice…

"Liz?"

The blonde hair is back. "Don't move."

"Liz."

A blur of white appears overhead. A flash of light as someone moves. A man's voice – or maybe I'm making it all up…

"You're putting yourself at risk."

"As are you."

"Oh, I'm entitled to my curiosity, don't you think?"

Enough with the words…it's doing my head in…I reach out and grab at the hair, and I'm scared by how much my hand is shaking. I can't even grasp it – my fingers brush the strands and then I'm flopping back down again, falling, and there's a stench of blood –

**Kidd**

I sniff. "What's that smell?"

Liz lowers her magazine, and frowns. "What smell?" She takes a deep breath, and grimaces. "Oh. _That_ smell."

I'd been trying to ignore it for the past five minutes but I have to admit that the dining room is becoming increasingly pungent.

I put down my teaspoon. The atmosphere is thick with haze and smoke. "Oh, dear lord."

"Not _again_," groans Liz, and she pushes herself away from the table as if to get up.

Before she can make another move, however, the dining room door bursts open with the force of a small explosion and I just have time to register the graceful arc of white dinner plates soaring through the air – before they shatter over the table into a million white pieces.

Oh _no_.

I sit there, aghast, as china rains down around me. The _plates_. My beautiful dinner plates. I spent _so_ long cleaning them yesterday. And stacking them in perfect sets of eight, and lining them up on the shelves. A true work of art. But now…

I pick up one shard. No. No, this won't do. Can't have such – such an abysmal _mess_ ruining my breakfast. I must pick up all the pieces.

On hands and knees, I crawl under the table and begin gathering them into my arms. I will assemble them and glue them all back together, and it will be all right – I can make them symmetrical and beautiful again!

Ahead of me I see Liz's slippered feet by the door, one tapping impatiently as she lectures Patty.

"I thought I told you to _stay out of the kitchen!_"

"Nuh uh! You only said to not touch the fancy glasses!"

"I said to stay away from them!"

"Yeah!"

"They're in the kitchen! Honestly, Patty, you two are going to be the death of me."

I suppose I should laugh at that.

I realise that I can't crawl forward and collect china unless I hold the pieces in one arm, which of course will_ not_ do. Instead, I carefully leave them in two tidy piles either side of me, and continue forward.

Jasdero suddenly appears face-to-face with me. Unsurprisingly, he's beaming. "Mornin', Death God, hee!"

I sigh, and kneel back. "Good morning Jasdero. Did you sleep well?"

"Whatchu doin' under the table?"

"I – nothing." Not to be rude, but I'd really rather do this without his help.

"Kidd, are you under the table? Come out from under there."

"But Liz – "

"Kidd…" There's no use arguing with Liz when she uses that tone of voice. I meekly creep out and dust myself down as I stand up.

I try once more. "But Liz, I need to clear up the shards. They're ruining the whole room and – "

She flicks her hair over one shoulder– god, I love the way she does that – and straightens my collar impatiently. "We haven't got time for this, Kidd. It's a big day today, right, Jasdero?"

"Mm-hmm," says Jasdero happily, struggling to his feet once more. "It's gonna be the be-est day, the bee-esstest day, the bee-est kind of da-a-ayyy…"

Patty joins in, making me groan slightly and clutch my head. Normally I can handle the singing but I've got a bad headache now that the room has been messed up, and now I just want to crawl into bed once more and sleep the day away.

I can't let them down though. I promised Liz. I promised Patty. I promised _Jasdero._

Jasdero. Oh, Jasdero. Where does one even _begin_ when describing Jasdero?

My first encounter with him was coming down in the middle of the night to find Liz sitting on the floor, amid a sea of broken glass (he seems to bring chaos with him wherever he goes) and cradling a sobbing blonde boy in her arms.

I have to admit, my first impression was to throw him out _immediately_ – never in my life have I met someone so _disorderly_. His hair was dishevelled, his face smeared with blackened stains (I remember wincing at the dirty smudges all over Liz's pyjamas) and clothing torn and burnt (although strangely he himself was left completely unharmed…).

It had taken a lot of explaining from Liz, a few untidy hugs from Jasdero and some promises to convince me to let him stay. After that, my distrust dissolved into curiosity. I'd heard so much about this boy, mainly from Patty, and he'd clearly made an impact on the girls.

He was – is – odd. He laughs – _way _too much – and at first I found it highly disconcerting, as I was constantly paranoid that he was laughing at me. His train of thought is all but nonexistent and I've pretty much given up on proper conversation with him. He stares a lot, and his eyes blink at different times, which bothers me for a _lot_ of reasons. He has bizarre eating habits, and I never know which room I'm going to find him sleeping in next.

Yet despite all this, and more, I kind of like him. For one thing, he's so easily impressed by everything that it does wonders for your ego – the other day, he applauded me for opening a yoghurt pot. He seems genuinely eager to please – although I think his idea of what pleases people is somewhat back-to-front (contrary to what he may believe, I do _not_ appreciate pictures being drawn all over every mirror in the house).

Beside, Patty likes him. Genuinely, really, _likes_ him. When I first met Patty, she was impossible to deal with; grouchy, rude, crazy and slightly dangerous. Since then she's mellowed a great deal but she's always struggled with friends because people just don't seem to _get_ her. I admit, at times not even Liz can follow Patty's thought process when she really gets going, but I've always felt guilty, because sometimes I don't think I try hard enough for Patty.

But Jasdero seems to get her. Since we introduced them once more, they've been completely inseparable. It's sweet, in a way, and quite heart-warming to see them have so much fun together, but the past three days have been incredibly taxing on Liz and I. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to (awkwardly) explain to Jasdero why it's inappropriate for him to share a bed with Patty, and I think they've collectively broken everything breakable, eaten everything edible, and drawn on everything else.

It would not be inaccurate to say that I'm at my wit's end. If only they could spend just a few hours outside, I think it'd be manageable, but Liz and I have agreed that, for the moment at least, it's best that Jasdero remains here.

When he first arrived, all Jasdero would talk about was his brother – the mysterious David that I have _still_ yet to meet. He was utterly inconsolable for several hours when Liz had first explained that David was being kept prisoner in Shibusen, and it had taken a lot of effort to keep him from bursting into the streets and dashing to David's rescue.

In the end, I promised to take him to Shibusen to meet Father, on the condition that he behaves, does exactly as I said, and stayed in the house in the meantime.

And now the day has arrived. I'm not _entirely _sure what we're hoping to achieve, especially when you remember that Jasdero was partly responsible for the attack on Spirit and the others, but maybe Father can be made to see sense. At the very least, he might be able to help Liz plead David's case.

I say might. I admit I'm dubious about his powers of reasoning.

**Liz**

Sometimes I catch myself wondering if this is what it's like to be a parent. I've had to deal with looking after someone else all my life, first Patty and then Kidd _and_ Patty. But Jasdero and Patty…well, that's a different story altogether. I've cleaned up, washed up, picked up and swept up so much crap in the past few days that I've been falling into bed exhausted at eight every evening.

Occasionally I wonder if it's a good thing that we might be getting David back soon. Then I feel guilty.

Me and Kidd, we made a promise to Jasdero. We promised him that we'd do everything it takes to get David back, and we will.

Even so, I have to fight back a tide of nerves as I pull my shoes on. Is taking Jasdero into Shibusen _really_ such a good idea? I suppose I trust him to behave, but still…_what_ will Shinigami-sama make of him? How are Spirit and Nygus going to react, when Jasdero was the one that attacked _them?_

I guess I just need to put my faith in him.

Oh dear.

Patty

"Why is the sky blue?"

"Cuz there's a bluebird and he lives up there and he's always dropping his feathers. How come words don't fall out of books when you open them?"

"They glue 'em on, hee. But why - "

"Patty, Jasdero," groans Liz.

"Yeah, sis?"

She turns round and looks at me all cross. "That's enough questions for now. I can't take any more."

"But – "

"No buts." And I know that when Liz uses that firm voice, she means it, and so I nod.

Jasdero pulls a face and opens his mouth again, so I grab his arm and put my hand over his mouth so that he understands we gotta listen to big sis.

Liz sighs and puts her head in her hands again, her blonde hair hanging down like a waterfall. We been sitting out here on the steps for _ages_ now (at _least_ ten minutes I bet) and Kidd _still_ hasn't come out of Shibusen.

It's not _fair_. We promised Jasdero we'd take him in, I wanted to show him everything too, like the classroom and the gym and everything.

But then Miss Marie came running out the door before we could go in and she looked worried and she saw Kidd and she grabbed him.

"Kidd, what are you – look, never mind. Come with me."

And she didn't even look at any of us, she just pulled Kidd into Shibusen and he just had time to tell us to wait here, and then he was gone.

Liz was upset for ages after that, and we had to get her to calm down by singing really loud, until she started hushing us.

I keep forgetting that Jasdero is supposed to be a secret still. Liz made him put on a pair of trousers that Shinigami-sama bought for Kidd but they're still too big cuz Kidd's a tiny tiny thing, and then Jasdero had to wear one of Liz's hooded tops too and put the hood up and everything because Liz and Kidd were scared someone would notice him.

He looks so _different_ without the clothes and the eye makeup. At first he didn't like it and he got scared and said it felt too weird and that David wouldn't recognise him if we found him, so I had to tell him how good he looked so that he'd agree to come outside.

And even then he wanted to go home after just five minutes so I ended up dragging him half the way.

Oh, silly Jas. I put my arms around him and lean my head on his shoulder. He stares ahead, tap-tapping his feet on the step below the one we're sitting on. It's not normal for him to be really quiet and still, so I poke him and ask what's wrong.

"I miss Debi, hee."

"I'll bet he misses you too."

"I _know_," says Jasdero miserably. "Why can't I _see_ him?"

I squeeze him tighter. "Kidd's trying his hardest."

"Is he inside? How come I can't go visit?"

"Yeah, he's inside, but he's downstairs and it's not so easy to get to the d – "

I feel someone tap my back. It's Liz. "Patty," she says. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"No…in private." She smiles nicely at Jasdero, and he blinks at her, confused. "I'll be quick Jasdero, I promise. Don't worry."

I get to my feet and let Liz lead me up the stairs a bit so that Jasdero can't hear us. She's probably just going to tell me that we gotta be quieter, or that I can't share a bed with Jasdero again, or something.

Liz puts her hands on my shoulders and looks at me very seriously. I swallow as I realise she wants me to _pay attention_.

"Patty, sweetie, I need you to pay attention."

"Uh huh."

"Have you told Jasdero where they're keeping David? Have you told him he's in the dungeons?"

I think for a moment. "I don't _think_ so. Why? Should I?"

"No," says Liz, and she says it so firmly, and so seriously, that I nod without thinking. "Promise me, Patty, you won't tell Jasdero that David's in the dungeons."

"Why?" Doesn't seem fair to me, I know _I'd_ want to know if Liz was in a dungeon.

"Because he's upset enough as it is," says Liz, and we both glance over to Jasdero sitting huddled by himself. "Think how much worse he'll feel if he knows David's been locked up."

I don't say anything as I think about it. I don't want to upset Jasdero, not at all, I want him to be _happy_. But then again…it's not fair! David's his brother, he should be allowed to know…right?

"Patty," says Liz again, giving me a little shake. "What if Jasdero tried to break into Shibusen and get David out?"

"He wouldn't – " but before I can finish, Liz puts a hand over my mouth and looks right into my eyes.

"Can you promise that, Patty?" I nod, but she stares hard. "Can you say what Jasdero will or won't do?"

She lowers her hand and looks at me. I shiver as I think about it. _Has_ Jasdero ever done what I've told him to? Have I even ever told him to do anything?

Not really.

Liz is wrong, wrong because of _course_ I can say what Jasdero will do, because I can just tell what he's thinking sometimes. But she's right because I can't promise that Jasdero won't break in to Shibusen. And that's because I can just tell. What he's thinking.

And he's thinking that he's got to get David back no matter what.

I nod, one last time. "Okay, Liz. I won't tell him."

Liz smiles a proud, tired smile. "Thanks."

"No problem."

We both walk back down the stairs and sit either side of Jasdero. He sniffles slightly and rubs his face really quickly on his sleeve, and I can tell he's been crying but he doesn't want us to know.

Liz puts one arm around him and I put my arm around him too and she wipes his eyes with her hand. "C'mon Jasdero, cheer up. We'll get him back."

"I'm cold," he whines. "I never been so c-cold before…I need Debi!"

He _is_ shivering a lot. But Liz frowns, and puts a hand on his forehead. "You feel a bit warm, actually."

"Nuh-uh," says Jasdero, hugging his knees. "I'm _cold_."

"I think you've got a bit of a fever," says Liz. "You're sick, Jasdero."

"Not sick! Not sick!" wails Jasdero, so I hug him with both arms and bury my face in his neck til he calms down. He hiccups, and puts his arms around me. "Not sick."

"It's okay," soothes Liz. "You have an early night this evening. We'll look after you, I promise."

"David said – that only wimpy people get sick," says Jasdero. "I _can't_ be sick. He'll be cross."

"Maybe he won't mind," I say. "You were fine this morning."

"Yeah, strange…" says Liz thoughtfully, running a hand through her lovely, lovely hair. "You've been one hundred percent all day. I wonder where you caught it from?"

Before I can suggest any ideas, we hear the front door of Shibusen open and close, and turn to see Kidd running down the stairs towards us.

Strange. He's trying to pull his cloak on with only _one hand_, and doesn't seem to care that it's flying messily behind him. As he gets closer, we can see he looks scared, and stressed.

"Liz, Patty, take Jasdero home. Now."

Liz jumps up. "Kidd! Where have you been? What's – "

"There's no time, Liz," says Kidd, and he sounds almost panicky. "Something's – happened. We're not going to be able to see David today."

Jasdero leaps to his feet, and starts flapping his arms. "What? Whaaat?"

"I'm sorry, Jasdero," says Kidd. "But you really need to get home. You're in a lot of danger if you hang around here."

Liz looks like she wants to ask more questions, but instead nods, and takes Jasdero's hand. "Come on, Jasdero."

He looks upset. "But – _David!_"

It's _not fair!_ We took him all this way, he's been waiting for so long and he's so lonely and scared!

I tug at Kidd's sleeve. "Kidd! What's happening? Why can't we take Jasdero inside?"

"We really need to _go_," says Kidd. "Spirit or Marie or someone could come out at any minute. Come _on_!"

Liz starts pushing Jasdero in front of her and we all begin dashing down the stairs, except Jasdero can't run so good. He stumbles all the way and by the end of the staircase he can barely stand upright on his own.

"What's wrong, Jasdero?" asks Liz urgently. "Get up!"

He struggles to his feet and follows but he's so slow…he looks tired and is shivering even worse now. Me and Liz put his arms across our shoulders and half-carry him down the street.

"What's wrong with him?" demands Kidd, running alongside us. "Why can't he walk?"

"I don't know," says Liz. "I think he's ill."

Kidd shakes his head. "What a mess."

"Where are we going?" I ask, as we follow Kidd down street after street.

"Home," he says shortly. "Home, so we can sort all this out."


	8. Pretty ugly

**Liz**

The front door slams behind us with such force that I nearly drop Jasdero. Kidd throws his coat to the floor and strides around all the downstairs rooms, yanking curtains closed.

I kneel next to Jasdero on the floor and stroke his forehead, staring at Kidd as he whooshes past, face set in a grim, determined frown.

"Any chance you're gonna tell us what any of this is about?"

"Yes. In a minute," he says shortly, closing his eyes and massaging his temples for a second. "Just…lock the front door, will you?"

Patty obediently gets up and turns the locks. She's unusually quiet; I think Kidd's slightly frightening her.

He's frightening _me_.

I stare downwards at Jasdero, and he stares back up at me, eyes glassy and unseeing. I can see beads of sweat forming on his forehead and top lip, and gently wipe them away. "You okay, Jasdero?"

"Urrrrrr…" he groans in reply.

"What's wrong with him?" cries Patty, flinging herself down beside me. She snatches up Jasdero's right hand and grips it tight. "Is he sick?"

"Mmm..not – not sick!" insists Jasdero again, struggling to sit up. "I'm – I'm just – "

"Come on, Patty." I get to my feet, trying to be methodical and practical. Like Kidd. "Let's get him on the couch. Help me carry him…"

Kidd stands anxiously to one side as we struggle past with Jasdero, biting his thumbnails. It's an out-of-character habit, what with him being so OCD and obsessed with cleanliness, but one he's picked up recently. And of course, he has to bite the nails on _both_ hands.

"Er, hey, Kidd?"

"Oh – yeah, sorry." He jumps out of his reverie and moves to open the living room door for us.

As soon as Jasdero is comfortably settled on the couch with Patty sponging his forehead, I wheel around to confront Kidd.

"So."

He looks apprehensive. "What?"

"What's going on at Shibusen? Why are you so upset?"

"I – " He opens his mouth to speak, and then stares over my shoulder at Jasdero, who's started whimpering feebly.

"Let's go to the kitchen."

I follow Kidd into the kitchen and watch as he slowly shrugs off his Shinigami cloak. I used to hate that thing, hate how it hid him from view and how much he looked like his father in it, but I think it's sort of grown on me. When he takes the mask and hood off, and just has the black material swirling around his shoulders all dramatic, it's kind of – nice.

Kidd folds it up and places it carefully on the table. "We're going to have to keep Jasdero indoors for a while."

"Yeah, I know," I agree. "I don't know what's wrong with him, but he needs rest. Do you think – "

"No, Liz, I'm not talking about that," he says seriously. "I know he's ill but…look, you know how Father was so undecided about what to do with David?"

"Yeah…"

"And you know how you were trying to convince them that David was…good?"

I hang my head. "Yeah," I say guiltily.

"Um, yeah, that's not going to happen."

Something in the way he says it makes me look up again. "What do you mean?"

"David's…I don't know, he must have hurt someone or something. When I went in to find Father, all the staff was in chaos; Spirit was looking for Father too, he was furious, he wanted David out of Shibusen entirely, and the medical bay was in uproar, and – and…I don't know, but it's bad."

"Do you think he got out?"

Kidd looks at me shrewdly. "Do _you_?"

I think about that. On the one hand, yes, yes I think David is perfectly capable of breaking himself out given the right opportunity. But on the other, if he'd gotten out I'm pretty sure all of Death City would know by now.

"No. But I think he's probably done something stupid. Oh god, what an idiot…I told him to stay put and stay quiet!"

"Oh, that reminds me," says Kidd grimly. "Now that David's got himself into this nice mess, they're on the hunt for Jasdero too."

"Oh, _fuck_."

"Liz, please."

"Sorry…"

"And people have seen him around Death City."

I frown. "But – we haven't let him out! We didn't even let him in the garden."

Kidd shrugs. "Well he had been wandering around by himself for a few days before he found us, someone was bound to notice him."

"But – what are we going to _do_?" I demand, wringing my hands in desperation. "We have to get David back _somehow_. And we can't just hide Jasdero here forever."

"I know, but let's just – "

Kidd is cut off by a scream from the living room.

"_Liz!_"

**Kidd**

Liz and I practically throw ourselves through the living room door, narrowly avoiding landing in an untidy heap on the floor.

"Patty!" cries Liz, struggling forwards. "What's wrong, are you okay?"

Patty is kneeling beside the sofa, panic and distress etched all over her usually gleeful features. She's blubbering incomprehensively.

I crouch down beside her and take her hands, gently hushing her. "Patty…please calm down. It's okay, Liz and I are here."

Liz cuddles her sister close. "What's happened?"

From beneath Liz, Patty extracts an arm and reaches out to grab at Jasdero's dangling hand again. "He's sick!" she says thickly through Liz's jumper.

"I know, sweetie, but – "

Patty interrupts her with a tirade of hysterical words. "And I was just sittin' here with him and holding his hand and making him feel better and he wouldn't stop crying at first and I couldn't help him and then he started coughing and it was _really_ bad and now he's gone _wrong _and – _what do I do?_"

Liz and I sit up in unison to get a proper look at Jasdero.

I rub my eyes a few times.

When I first met Jasdero, the first thing that struck me was his skin tone. It was just so _bizarre_, not only the way it clashed with his pale blonde hair, but the way it was so grey it was almost ashen. It wasn't a normal dark skin colour, not a deep rich brown or a soft chestnutty colour, it was _grey_. Liz had assured me it was just something you got used to, and not to worry too much about it.

But the hand Patty is clutching is a startling milky white.

I stand over the sofa. "What – "

Of course, I've seen people get paler when they're ill, it happens to Liz a lot when she's feeling nauseated. She goes a shade lighter, as does Patty when she hasn't gotten a good night's sleep.

Jasdero's gone from the colour of wet concrete to completely caucasian. That's not normal.

"What the hell?" gasps Liz, standing up. "Is he – I mean…what's happened?"

"I don't knoooooww!" wails Patty, clawing at Liz's leg. "Is he dying? Is he going to be okay?"

Carefully, Liz sits beside Jasdero on the sofa and lays her hand on his forehead with great care. I watch as her beautifully symmetrical eyebrows crease into a concerned frown. "He still feels kind of warm…"

"He's burning up, look," I say, indicating Jasdero's flushed cheeks. I take the damp towel off Patty and lay it over his forehead once more.

"But that doesn't explain…_this_," frets Liz.

We both fall silent and stare down at this – _stranger_ lying on our sofa.

For once, Jasdero looks almost completely normal. His new skin colour fits perfectly with his golden hair, and with his flushed cheeks and white-gold eyelashes he looks incredibly vulnerable. The awful stitches are still there though, criss-crossing his lips in that grotesque zigzag pattern.

"Jasdero?" Liz asks gently, shaking his shoulders. As she grips them, I can see her wrists trembling. Liz is just as terrified as Patty, and she's holding it down to protect her sister.

My stomach squirms uncomfortably, but I continue holding Patty close, comforting her. Liz is strong, and brave, and I suddenly feel ridiculously proud of her.

"Is he waking up?" whines Patty, gripping my sleeves.

"I don't know…Jasdero!" Liz shakes him just a little harder. "It's Liz…can you hear me?"

"Mmmmhhhh," says Jasdero, in a voice that's barely a whisper.

"Jasdero!" Gently, Liz pulls him up into a sitting position. His head lolls onto his chest. "Wake up!"

Slowly, improbably, he stirs. One hand twitches slightly and then he raises it sleepily to rub his eye, as though he were merely waking from a good night's sleep.

He gazes blearily at us all through heavy-lidded eyes – _blue_ eyes, pale, greyish-blue. Not yellow.

For a moment, he's silent, whether from exhaustion or confusion, I can't tell. Then he blinks a couple of times and shifts into a more comfortable sitting position.

"Wh-what happened?"

I don't know why, but it's bizarre to hear Jasdero's voice coming out of that mouth. He just looks _so_ different. A new person.

"We're back – back home, Jasdero," says Liz in a stilted voice. "Everything's going to be okay."

"Where's David?"

"He's – "

"Is he in trouble?"

Liz looks helplessly at me. I move to kneel beside her, looking Jasdero right in the eyes. It's much easier now, for some reason. Maybe it's because he seems to be blinking more like a normal person. Maybe it's his almost angelic features – the rosy lips and cheeks, the pale eyelashes, the blue eyes – or maybe I'm just getting used to him.

He shifts his attention to me. "Where's David?"

"He's…um, well…well, you can't see him at the moment, Jasdero."

"Where is he?"

"He's still at Shibusen."

"Can I see him?"

"Um, no, Jasdero, I just said – "

"But you promised," he interrupts, looking despondent. "I want to see David!"

"You're unwell, Jasdero," says Liz firmly. "You need rest and sleep!"

"I'm not sick!" he cries. "I'm – I'm – " As he speaks, his gaze travels downwards and alights on his own hands folded in his lap.

His bottom lip trembles.

"Noooo…" Slowly, quietly, he begins to sob, and curls up into a little ball, huddled into the furthest corner of the couch. "Noooooo…"

"…Jasdero?" Liz tentatively reaches out, but Patty gets there first.

"Don't cry, Jas!" She throws herself down next to him and attempts to pull him into an embrace. "We'll get you better and then Liz and Kidd can take you back to see – "

To everyone's surprise and shock, especially Patty's, Jasdero wriggles out of her grasp, throwing her arms away, and leaps over the back of the couch to dash out of the room and out of sight.

Patty sits where she is for a moment, looking stunned, as though she couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

"Oh, Patty," says Liz sadly. She sits down next to her sister, and rubs her shoulder consolingly. "He's just upset about David, that's all. It'll be okay."

Without a word, Patty scrambles off the couch and runs after Jasdero.

I sit down heavily next to Liz. This is all getting too much for me.

After a pause, she puts an arm around my shoulders. Her weight is warm, and comforting. "Don't worry. Let them sort themselves out."

"Do you really think that's wise?"

"If anyone can get through to Jasdero, it'll be Patty."

**Jasdero**

I find myself standing in the kitchen, the big, white kitchen, the kitchen where it all started, where I scared Liz so badly.

The table is standing in the middle of the room. I dive underneath it and hug my knees to my chest, closing my eyes.

I can't go and find David now, I can't, not like this, I don't _want_ to, and it _hurts_.

I don't _want_ to find David, and it hurts.

Not like this.

I open my eyes for the tiniest of seconds and my hands are pale and white. I clench them shut and hide my face in my stupid stupid pale knees.

I can't remember the last time I took my mask off.

Road does it all the time but it's okay for her, it's okay because she's pretty and small and everyone likes her and she's a Noah through and through anyway so she doesn't have to worry about anything.

Not like the rest of us. We're – we…we were human. Are? Is?

I pull my hair – my blonde, blonde hair. It's the only bit of me I ever liked and it's the only bit that I can keep for always, it's always mine, it's always _me_. Dero's golden locks.

Not like my stupid stupid nasty skin. With its horrible white hairs and the way it goes sore and pink in the sunlight and I get freckles on my nose and it's so _ugly_.

I'm scared.

I'm really scared.

I want my mask back on.

But I don't know how, because I never needed to learn how, and it's hard, it's really hard for me to switch back and forth. I've never found what Tyki always called the 'balance'.

"J-Jasdero?"

I lift my head. I can see a pair of dark boots and soft, pink legs.

"I know you're under the table."

"Go away."

I put a hand over my mouth as soon as I say this because somehow, it doesn't sound like _me_. It sounded almost like – like David.

I swallow, and try again. "Please, Patty, go away."

She walks closer. "No."

Before I have time to do anything, she's there, right in front of me, crouching down and staring right into my horrible ugly face.

It _hurts_, because I look at her, and she's so – so pretty, and so nice, and she's so happy and comfortable in her own pale pink skin, and I'm – I'm not.

I don't even know if this is my skin any more.

I hide my face in my arms. "Don't look at me."

"Are you crying?"

I don't answer.

"Can I hug you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm gross. And ugly." I clench my fists. "And you're not."

When Patty next speaks, she sounds upset, and it makes my tummy wriggle uncomfortably. "You're not gross and ugly, Jas."

"Yes, I am."

"You let me hug you before."

"That was different." Because it was. Because I was a Noah, I was strong, I was brave, I was more than human, and I could do anything, even (well, almost) talk to a girl.

Without David, my mask's gone and now I'm just what I was before, I'm Jasdero. I'm small and sick and skinny and useless.

There's a movement, and when I raise my head, Patty's sitting in front of me, cross-legged. She stares at me, not smiling, and her eyes are the blue of a summer sky, not like mine, not like my grey unhappy blue eyes that are like the blue of a horrible rainy day.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sitting under the table with you."

"Why?"

"Why are you under the table?"

"Because I'm gross."

"Then I'm gross too."

But you're not, Patty, you're not, you're blonde and pretty, you're _really_ pretty, and you're really nice and you have this laugh, the happiest laugh, and the best smile and sometimes I wish I was the one to hug you, because you're always the one hugging first because you're just _like _that, and – and I wish I was brave enough to tell you all this but of course I'm not.

"You're not gross," I mumble. I turn away from her.

"Neither are you, Jas."

"Yeah, I am. I'm tiny and scrawny and weak and ugly and stupid and I can't even look after myself or my own brother and the Earl's gonna be _so_ mad…" And I start crying because it's too much, too much for me to think about because my head's not big enough. And then I realise I'm crying so I start crying _more_ because I'm so pathetic and all I can do is _cry_.

Patty shuffles closer. I lift my head and stare right at her through my tears but I can't stop them from coming, and I think about David, and how he's probably alone or _dead_ and I can't do nothing but _cry_ –

She leans over and there's a moment, a blur, a brush of short blonde hair and her warmth and a funny tingling everywhere, and she kisses my nose, and then sits back again.

I'm so surprised I stop crying immediately.

No one's ever made me stop crying before. Except David.

"…Wh-why did you – "

"Your nose was red."

"Why – "

"It's cute."

I stare at her some more, and my hands are trembling and I feel sick again…

She tilts her head to one side and there's a long, long silence. Am I supposed to say something? What do I do?

Her eyes are moving over me, and I suddenly feel awful again and I can't bear her looking at me like that, I want to curl up so small that no one ever finds me again and so I hide myself in my arms.

"Don't look at me!"

When I next look up, she's gone, and the kitchen door is closed.

My hands are still shaking.

I wish I'd been brave enough to ask for her help.

I need it.

**[phew! sorry for the hiatus guys, I've been darn busy recently. This chapter was a bit of a struggle too since it's mainly just trying to explain stuff, but I also wanted to move Patty and Jasdero's relationship along a little bit - make it more interesting and stuff. It was a challenge because I'm trying to write Jasdero's 'white' form or whatever it's called a little differently. I don't know if it's come across very well, and I'm working on it. Anyway...enjoy!]**


End file.
